ABSTRACT
Water has been an important symbol in the legends and histories of many ancient cultures. According to the United Nations, 31 countries in the world are currently facing water stress and scarcity. Increasing numbers of people are moving to cities, where dense populations place terrible strains on limited water supplies and make delivery of sanitation services next to impossible. Overexploitation of the planet's major river systems is threatening another finite source of water. Destroying water's natural habitat not only creates a supply crisis for people and animals, it also dramatically diminishes the actual amount of fresh water available on the planet. The Worldwatch Institute also warns that an unexpectedly abrupt decline in the supply of water for China's farmers could threaten world food security. About one-third of the water used in France, Canada, and the United Kingdom is supplied by aquifers, while more than 50 percent of Americans are dependent on groundwater for their supplies.
