While water covers two thirds of the earth’s surface, most of it is salty and not suitable for drinking. Only 2.7 percent of the available water on earth is freshwater and only 1 percent of the available freshwater can be accessed for use from rivers, lakes and groundwater.

India has just 4% of the world’s fresh water — but 16% of the global population.

76 million people

India experiences an average precipitation of 1,170 millimetres (46 in) per year, or about 4,000 cubic kilometres (960 cu mi) of rains annually or about 1,720 cubic metres (61,000 cu ft) of fresh water per person every year. India accounts for 18% of the world population and about 4% of the world’s water resources.

India placed thirteenth among the world’s 17 ‘extremely water-stressed’ countries, according to the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas released by the World Resources Institute (WRI). A region is said to be under ‘water stress’ when the demand for water there exceeds the available volume or when poor quality restricts use.

1. Eritrea: 80.7% lack basic water services. The population of Eritrea in East Africa has the least access to clean water close to home. Lack of adequate household sanitation means open water sources are often contaminated by human and animal waste.

Water (or any compound) can be destroyed. It’s just a molecule composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. When a certain amount of energy is applied, the bonds between the different atoms are broken and the molecule of water no longer exists.

Here is a list of some things that humans can do that have a negative impact on river ecosystems: Damming – Obstructing the flow of a river or stream for energy production, to create a lake, or to control the levels of the water. Dumping – Discarding materials into a river.