We live on the water planet.  But just how much of that water is available for drinking?

Not very much.

Lab groups started with a liter of water, and then poured amounts into other containers.  Each amount represented a percent of water stored on earth:

1L represents all water on Earth

970 ml represents  water in oceans.  This is the vast majority.

30 ml represents all freshwater.  Of that 30ml:

25.6ml represents ice caps and glaciers, 4ml represents groundwater and 2 drops represents surface water

Of all the water on Earth, a mere 4.4 ml represents what is available for all human needs.

After photographing their demonstrations, students read about what we use the freshwater resource for. The big surprise?  More freshwater is used for irrigation and manufacturing than for drinking and sanitation.

Given the amount of water sitting in irrigation canals, students designed ways to prevent evaporation from the canals.  We hope to be able to construct some of the inventions.