Most of the Earth’s surface is covered with water areas (approximately 71%), and a smaller part is land areas (approximately 29%).
People require significant amounts of fresh water for their needs. Fresh water is used not only for drinking, bathing and toileting, but also for activities such as agriculture and industry. However, the majority of the total water in our world is salt water (approximately 97.5%), while the remaining small percentage is fresh water (approximately 2.5%).
It is not easy to reach a significant part of the fresh waters in our world.
There is a water cycle in the atmosphere and time is needed to complete the cycle. If the increase in fresh water consumption is faster than the regeneration process of these water resources, there is water shortage.
Around 2000 it is seen that the world population which was approximately 6 billion was exceed 8 billion in 2023 and has increased by approximately one third in this short period between the two dates. Due to the increasing population, the amount of fresh water required is increasing significantly, people or societies prefer methods of obtaining fresh water that are suitable for their conditions.
If we take into consideration today’s conditions; storing rainwater; it is cheaper in cost compared to obtaining fresh water by treating sea water and in terms of carbon footprint, the amount of greenhouse gas produced, the extent of the damage caused by human activities to the environment is less.
Kind regards
Zekeriya Gümüşhan