If the total water on earth be 100%, let’s see what percent would be the availability of fresh water. Look at the pie chart given below.
From the pie chart, it can also be noted that 97% water is saline water. Only 3% found is the freshwater and that too in polar ice caps and glaciers. So this portion of water is not readily available for drinking.
The distribution of the totally available (3%) freshwater is as follows:
Polar ice caps and glaciers – 68.7%
Ground water – 30.1 %
Other source of water – 0.9%
Surface water – 0.3%
The distribution of total 0.3% of surface water is as follows:
Lakes – 87%
Rivers – 2%
Swamps – 11%
Thus the above pie chart explains that we have a very small amount of fresh water available for human usuage and so maintaining the water table and the conservation of water is very essential.