Although the water flowing from the tap might not seem very exciting, there are many interesting facts about this essential substance. Composed of hydrogen and oxygen, water provides examples of all three states of matter. Water refers to the substance in its liquid state. Ice is water’s solid state, while steam is its gaseous state. Many people know that 75% of the earth’s surface is covered in water. However, only 3% of this water is fit for drinking, and the polar ice caps contain 75% of the this fresh water in its frozen form.

All of this water has existed for millions of years, and never really leaves the planet. However, water is referred to as “wasted” after being used or polluted. Even with water treatment facilities, it is difficult to purify all water enough to make it potable again. In the UK, the average person uses close to 150 litres of water daily. In a year, this equals 54,750 litres or .054 cubic meters of water. Compare this to UK Industry and Commerce, which uses about 1,300 million cubic meters of water each year.

Not only is water all around us, it is also within us. 70% of the average adult’s body contains water, and 80% of the average newborn’s body weight is water. Not only are people made up of water, we need it to live. People can endure without food for about 30 days, but without water for 7 days, survival is unlikely. An easily overlooked part of our daily lives, this crucial substance can seem more interesting and vital after learning some of its fascinating facts.