5.8B importance of water supply

• Agriculture:

  • Economic development is one of the drivers for the increased demand of safe water supplies
  • Agriculture dominates water usage
  • 20% of the Earth's land is fully irrigated, of which 30% comes from dams and their respective irrigation channels
  • leading to irreversible groundwater depletion
• Industry and energy:

  • 20% of global freshwater abstraction is for industrial and or energy production
  • Of that, over 50% is used for generating energy either as hydroelectric power (HEP) or for cooling for thermal and nuclear power stations
• Domestic use:

  • Rising standards of living, due to economic development, increases per capita use of water
  • Access to safe, potable water is fundamental to human health
  • Water that is polluted through lack of sanitation