GEF

Unit 3  |  Primary Sustainability Issues 74 3.5  Sustainable Water Systems Fresh water is a vital and limited resource. About 97 percent of the world’s water is salt water, while another 2 percent is trapped in ice caps and glaciers. Of the remaining 1 percent, only a small fraction is readily accessible for human use. Furthermore, available fresh water is distributed unevenly, with some regions having abundant and regular precipitation and others experiencing frequent water shortages or unreliable supply due to lack of water infrastructure. Population growth and wealth inequality mean that access to fresh water represents a significant global challenge. Climate change is also increasing the severity of droughts in much of the world, further decreasing the availability of water. Currently, 1.5 billion people do not have reliable access to potable water, a figure that the United Nations projects to rise to 2.8 billion by 2025. Access to fresh water is a significant global challenge. The availability of clean water is necessary for human health. Water-borne illness is a major issue in the developing world. According to the World Health Organization, in 2012 only 16 percent of sub-Saharan Africans had access to a household water source. In many countries, surface water is frequently