It's hard to imagine that planet Earth could experience an epic water deficiency crisis. The Earth is 75% water. Why, if water is so abundant, is it such a precious commodity? Some countries have started rationing water, while others act as if the water supply is inexhaustible. The numbers are very misleading simply because the water that is so scarce is fresh water, which is crucial for all aspects of life. "Approximately 97.5% of all water is salt water from oceans and seas. The remaining 2.5% is fresh water with a salt content of less than 0.1%. This is the water on which most terrestrial biota, ecosystems and humans depend the 2.5 percent, however, two thirds is linked to ice sheets and polar glaciers Thus, only 0.77 percent of all l. Water is found in lakes, wetlands, rivers, groundwater, biota, soil and the atmosphere At this level, the greatest amount of water is used for irrigation, almost 70%. percent, while industry uses 20 percent and actual human use is 10 percent” (Wright and Boores, 2005) Healthy aquatic ecosystems are essential providers of food and many other sub-sources. important products necessary for life. The world is currently facing a water crisis, both in terms of quantity and purity, caused by an increase in global population, food production practices, standards of living and of industrialization. Improvements in wastewater management have had a vital impact on biological differences. aquatic ecosystems. The main objective of wastewater treatment is to ensure that all wastes originating from man and industry are safely discharged into the environment. By definition, “wastewater is wastewater. This includes substances such as human waste, food scraps, oils, soaps and chemicals. I...... middle of paper......or irrigate crops. Retrieved from Science Daily website: http://www.sciencedaily.comLawson, J. (October 21, 2013). The technology saves money at wastewater treatment plants. Kenosha News. Retrieved from kenoshanews.comParmionova, C. (2010). Sick water: the central role in wastewater management. Water and Relief International. Perlman, H. (2014). USGS: Science for a Changing World. Retrieved from http://water.usgs.gov/eduStages of Wastewater Treatment [Print Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.sheffy6marketing.com/Wastewater Treatment Facility [Print photo]. Image taken from: http://www.ibwc.state.gov/Organization/Operations/Field_Offices(2008). Clean water people. World Environment Federation, retrieved from http://www.wef.org/Wright, RT and Boorse, DF (2005). Environmental sciences. (12th ed., p. 240). Pearson Education.