Here's Where All Our Freshwater Goes

Global water demand is expected to increase by 55% in 2050. Can we keep up?
Loukia Papadopoulos

Looking at our blue little planet it might seem like water is abundant on Earth, but only 2.5% of it is freshwater. That’s not a lot considering the demand for freshwater resources is constantly increasing.

So, who uses this sparse water supply? Domestic use accounts for 10%, industry and energy 20%, and agriculture 70%.

It might seem surprising that our own personal use of water is not that much but the truth is that it does not even begin to compare to other uses. Most of our planet's water goes to providing our energy and growing our food, 

And it's only set to get worse. Experts estimate that global water demand will increase by 55% in 2050, making water even more scarce in many areas already in crisis. To keep up with these projections, massive changes need to take place in order to improve the efficiency of global water consumption.