Water scarcity is a global concern. Water covers about 70 percent of the Earth's surface; however, only 1 percent of available water is sufficient for human consumption. Earth's limited water supplies must be allocated and shared to meet agricultural, domestic, commercial, industrial and environmental needs. This means that managing the supply and how water is dispersed is essential to the sustainability of our planet and life as we know it. The most crucial natural resource and its availability is a major problem facing the United States and every other country in the world. Water is vital for the survival of every living organism on the planet. The unusable water on the planet is either salt water found in the oceans, fresh water frozen in the polar ice caps, or it is too inaccessible for practical use by humans (thewaterproject.org). Demand for fresh water has steadily increased at twice the rate of population growth in countries around the world, while supply has remained the same. . This means that humans consume far more water than the planet can provide. Water scarcity is one of the worst problems facing society today. A growing number of regions across the globe are beginning and continuing to experience water scarcity. Water scarcity can be linked to both a natural and man-made phenomenon (www.un.org). Currently, there is enough fresh, consumable water on the planet to feed seven billion people. However, at the current rate at which it is distributed, wasted and stored, there will be even less water left for future generations. The Water Project has shown that independent researchers say Lake Mead currently provides water to 22 million residents. .... middle of paper ...... and with perseverance, water conservation is possible and achievable. The severity of water scarcity is not apparent in most parts of the country, nor the world. People are not aware of the true consequences of not protecting and conserving our natural resources. Works Cited “Freshwater Crisis”. National Geographic. National Geographic, nd Web. June 15, 2014.Np, nd Web. June 15, 2014. Snyder, Shannyn. “Water Shortage – The United States Connection.” Np, and Web. June 19, 2014. “Water shortage: tomorrow’s problem.” » University of Michigan. University of Michigan, nd Web. June 17, 2014. “Water Supply in the United States” EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency. EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency, nd Web. June 15, 2014. Wyler, Grace. “Across the United States, the risks of a water crisis are much greater than people realize.” Np, May 22, 2013. Web. June 14 2014.