The Water Crisis

Earth is a watery place. Water makes up about 70% of Earth’s surface but less than 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh and can be used for human needs.1

Water is the essence of life. All aspects of our daily lives require water in some way, shape or form. It may seem difficult to imagine living without it but in fact many people around the world do. By 2040, almost 600 million children are expected to be living in areas of extreme high-water stress.1

People are living more water-intensive lifestyles than ever before – with increased consumption of goods and products that require water to produce. The climate is changing and global warming is projected to continue which essentially reduces water availability on the ground. The pollution and industrial expansion are putting additional pressure on existing water. And the cycle continues.

Let’s talk about facts:

  • Worldwide, 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water.1
  • Water scarcity affects more than 40% of the global population and could displace 700 million people by 2030.2
  • According to the United Nations, a person needs 110 liters of water a day (domestic use). In Portugal, the average of water daily consumption is 187 liters per person.3
  • Taking a 10 minutes shower alone consumes 100 liters of water.
  • On average, a glass of milk (250ml = 1/4 liter) costs 255 liters of water. 4

Water has to be treated as a scarce resource. We know that more than 80% of water consumption is outside of our households but saving water is everyone’s responsibility: social and environmental.

Get a snapshot of the impact of your daily lifestyle, set goals, track your progress and save water.

1Source: Unicef, Thirsting for a Future: Water and children in a changing climate (2017)
2Source: United Nations, The Sustainable Development Goals Report (2020)
3Source: Portal da Água, Valor da Água (2020)
4Source: Water Footprint Organization (2020)