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Main article: Water resources. Water resources are natural resourcesof water that are potentially useful for humans,[103]for example as a source of drinking water supplyor irrigationwater. Water occurs as both "stocks" and "flows". Water can be stored as lakes, water vapor, groundwater or aquifers, and ice and snow.
Water ( H2O) is a polar inorganic compound that is at room temperature a tasteless and odorless liquid, which is nearly colorless apart from an inherent hint of blue. It is by far the most studied chemical compound [ 19] and is described as the "universal solvent " [ 20] and the "solvent of life". [ 21]
Most water in Earth's atmosphere and crust comes from saline seawater, while fresh water accounts for nearly 1% of the total. The vast bulk of the water on Earth is saline or salt water, with an average salinity of 35‰ (or 3.5%, roughly equivalent to 34 grams of salts in 1 kg of seawater), though this varies slightly according to the amount of runoff received from surrounding land.
Sources where drinking water is commonly obtained include springs, hyporheic zones and aquifers (groundwater), from rainwater harvesting, surface water (from rivers, streams, glaciers), or desalinated seawater. For these water sources to be consumed safely, they must receive adequate water treatment and meet drinking water quality standards. [6]
Water covers about 71% of Earth's surface. [1] The origin of water on Earth is the subject of a body of research in the fields of planetary science, astronomy, and astrobiology. Earth is unique among the rocky planets in the Solar System in having oceans of liquid water on its surface. [2] Liquid water, which is necessary for all known forms of ...
Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources. It is an aspect of water cycle management. The field of water resources management will have to continue to adapt to the current and future issues facing the allocation of water.
The Water Portal. Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H2O. It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, and it is the main constituent of Earth 's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a solvent ).
Outline of water. Faucet dripping water. Structure of the water molecule (H 2 O) The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to water: Water – chemical substance with the chemical formula H 2 O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds.