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Approximately 70% of the planet is covered by water. However, only 3% of it is fresh water. In addition, not all fresh water is available for human use since two-thirds of it forms part of icecaps and glaciers (USGS, 2014).Furthermore, human activities affect water systems, which include rivers, lakes, aquifers and wetlands, which subsequently become stressed. The main factors behind water stress are pollution, climate change, agriculture and population growth (WWF, 2014). Pollution comes from many sources such as pesticides, which become part of water effluents through agriculture or agrofood industries. Other common sources are untreated urban wastewater and industrial wastewater. As a result of the excessive generation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the climate is changing. As a consequence, droughts and floods are becoming more frequent in some places. These and other changes are giving rise to a decrease in available water. Agriculture is one of the activities which consumes the most water and inefficiencies in irrigation technologies increase water waste. Therefore, aquifers, rivers and lakes are quickly drying up. Countries like China, the United States or Spain are getting close to their water resource limits. Population growth is also one of the reasons behind freshwater scarcity. The increase in the population as well as industrial development is generating further water stress (WWF, 2014).
Approximately 70% of the planet is covered by water. However, only 3% of it is fresh water. In addition, not all fresh water is available for human use since two-thirds of it forms part of icecaps and glaciers (USGS, 2014).Furthermore, human activities affect water systems, which include rivers, lakes, aquifers and wetlands, which subsequently become stressed. The main factors behind water stress are pollution, climate change, agriculture and population growth (WWF, 2014). Pollution comes from many sources such as pesticides, which become part of water effluents through agriculture or agrofood industries. Other common sources are untreated urban wastewater and industrial wastewater. As a result of the excessive generation of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the climate is changing. As a consequence, droughts and floods are becoming more frequent in some places. These and other changes are giving rise to a decrease in available water. Agriculture is one of the activities which consumes the most water and inefficiencies in irrigation technologies increase water waste. Therefore, aquifers, rivers and lakes are quickly drying up. Countries like China, the United States or Spain are getting close to their water resource limits. Population growth is also one of the reasons behind freshwater scarcity. The increase in the population as well as industrial development is generating further water stress (WWF, 2014).