Water Consumption in the World The oil crisis and the fear of fossil fuels are currently ongoing; however, there is a bigger threat that literally makes everyone a little nervous. The cause of this even more dramatic alarm is the growing lack of an adequate water supply. Only about 3% of the earth's water is fresh and drinkable, the rest is found in the oceans and seas in the form of salt water. With the current increase in the world's population, “by 2025, as more and more people share the earth's limited water supplies and per capita water use more than doubles, two-thirds of the world's population will not have enough water to the basic needs of life” (Barlow, Corpwatch.org). Water consumption is an issue that needs to be addressed not only in the United States, but also around the world. If we find statistics on water uses such as the percentage of water use and the reasons behind water use in some countries, we can determine what, how and when something can be done to reduce water consumption. Countries differ greatly from each other, both in terms of the location of the continent and its location, and in cultural aspects, in some cases, it could also be due to the fact that there is no government that distributes water evenly and equitably to its population. This is the problem in African and Central American countries, with South America following closely in rates of water pollution and poor distribution of clean water. I can personally speak from experience about what I have seen in many countries around the world, including the United States. . I have lived on three continents and in more than 6 countries, and in none of them have I seen water wasted at such a high rate as in the United States. In the United States “Withdrawals in 19...... middle of paper ...... abnormally high water consumption rate, not on par, but closer to that of the rest of the world. With these countries behaving as they do now, without being aware that if this continues in 2025, two-thirds of the world will have no water, and by 2050, only a select handful of individuals and families will have water to use, the world's population and the world itself will implode due to the water crisis. However, if everyone did something small, like turning off the taps and watering the garden only 2 times a week or as little as possible, turning off the lights when not in use and not taking long showers, then this combined effort of millions of people individuals become a snowball effect and become an impact that will improve our future and that of our children, simply by still having accessible clean water to reach and consume.