Only a very small fraction of the Earth's water is available as drinking water. About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, totaling around 326 million cubic miles. Of this, approximately 97% is salt water in the oceans, which is not suitable for drinking without desalination
. Freshwater makes up about 3% of the Earth's total water. However, most of this freshwater is not accessible for direct human use because about 2.5% of it is locked in glaciers, polar ice caps, the atmosphere, or soil, or is otherwise unavailable or polluted. This leaves roughly 0.5% of the Earth's total water as available fresh water
. When it comes to potable (drinkable) water, the figure is even smaller. Official estimates indicate that only about 0.025% of the Earth's total water is actually drinkable and accessible for human consumption. This tiny amount is found in rivers, lakes, groundwater, and aquifers, but it is decreasing annually due to pollution and other factors
. In summary:
- Total water on Earth: 100%
- Salt water (oceans): ~97%
- Fresh water: ~3%
- Fresh water available for human use: ~0.5%
- Drinkable water available for consumption: ~0.025% of total water
This scarcity highlights the critical importance of managing and conserving freshwater resources responsibly.
