top of page

Earth’s Liquid Gold

Only about 1% of all the Water on Earth is Drinkable

Only about 1% of all the water on Earth is drinkable. Let’s break it down:

  • About 97% of Earth's water is in the oceans, which means it's salty and not fit for drinking without desalination.

  • The remaining 3% is freshwater, but most of that is locked away in glaciers and ice caps (about 68% of all freshwater) or deep underground.

  • What we’re left with is a tiny fraction—roughly 1%—that is actually accessible and suitable for drinking, which includes water from rivers, lakes, and some groundwater.

So, out of all the water sloshing around on our blue planet, only a very small amount is fresh, accessible, and ready to quench our thirst. It’s a good reminder of why conserving water and keeping it clean is so important—every drop of that precious 1% counts!

ADVERTISEMENTS

facts.png
FACTS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
When Doctors Prescribed Beards
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

When Doctors Prescribed Beards

How a Mother’s Bones Help Build Her Baby’s
SCIENCE NATURE

How a Mother’s Bones Help Build Her Baby’s

How Medieval Builders Lifted Stone Into the Sky
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

How Medieval Builders Lifted Stone Into the Sky

Why Were Babies Found in Cabbage Patches?
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

Why Were Babies Found in Cabbage Patches?

How Storks Got Into the Baby Business
HISTORY & INNOVATIONS

How Storks Got Into the Baby Business

In New Mexico, Pluto is Still a Planet
SCIENCE & NATURE

In New Mexico, Pluto is Still a Planet

ADVERTISEMENT

popular.png
POPULAR NOW
Image of luxurious room with antique furniture and mirrors
PEOPLE

The Economics of Looking Rich

Photograph of pop star Michael Jackson
HISTORY & INNOVATION

The Ancient Origins of Plastic Surgery

SCIENCE & NATURE

What Does a Gila Monster Have to Do With GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs?

Photo of white eggplant
FOOD & DRINK

Why is an Eggplant called an Eggplant

Photograph of Labradoodle dog
FOOD & DRINK

Why Do We Call It "Hair of the Dog"?

Photograph of an antique brass doorknob
SCIENCE & NATURE

The Hidden Superpower of Brass

ADVERTISEMENT

bottom of page