Unfortunately, with the exception of the United Nations International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade from 1981 to1990, there has been little follow-up understanding and solving critical water issues, and much of the momentum of that earlier period has lost.
Harsh realities intrude on these dreams. As we approach the 21st century we must now acknowledge that many of our effort of harness water have been inadequate or misdirected.
Fresh water is a fundamental resource, integral to all environmental and societal process. Fresh water ←→ salt water Water is a critical component of ecological cycles. Aquatic ecosystems harbor diverse species and offer many valuable services.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834), in his classic poem “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, effectively described the principal characteristic of the earth’s water resources when he wrote, “water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink”. 97% of all the water on earth is salt water – unsuitable for drinking or growing crops. The remaining 3% is fresh water, comprising a total volume of about 35 million km3.an tradition, the waters of the earth originate in the fountains of the Garden of Eden, which divided into the world’s great stream: the Nile, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus, and the Ganges.
