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In everyday language, we use the word water to refer to the liquid that we drink to quench our thirst, but water represents itself in other forms too . It can be in the form of gas, as when it is steam or vapor. It can also be in solid state, as when it is ice. More than 70% of the earth's surface is covered by water. Earth is a water planet: 75 % of the surface is covered by water, in fact if you photograph earth at just the right spot, the entire surface looks covered by water!"

Although more than 70 % of the earth's surface is covered by water, there is an acute shortage of water in many parts of the world. It has been reported that nearly I billion people in the developing world don't have access to it (water) clean, safe, drinking water is scarce. It (water) is the foundation of life, a basic human needfar too many people spend their entire day searching for itWater is hard to find. Only 15 % of the world's population has enough water.

There are two forms of water scarcity: There is physical water scarcity, which occurs when the demand for water in a particular area outstrips the amount that the area can provide. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world where there is physical scarcity of water, man is the cause of the problem. A good example of such scarcity is in the Colorado River Basin, where, because of overuse of water, there is a shortage of water for those who live down the river. The Middle East and much of Africa also suffer physical water scarcity because they tend to receive small amounts of rainfall, making them depend on underground water. In the US, physical water scarcity has also been caused by the destruction of wetlands, and pollution of rivers. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a high degree of precipitation has contributed to scarcity of water. In the whole water debate, it is clear that environmental pollution and degradation plays a major role in the scarcity of water. Glacial retreat, habitat destruction, deforestation all make water resources vulnerable.

The other type of water scarcity is economic water scarcity. This is the prevalent type of water scarcity in Africa. This has been described as when a population does not have the necessary monetary means to utilize an adequate source of water. Economic water scarcity is about an unequal distribution of resources for many reasons, including political and ethnic conflict. The Israel-Palestinian conflict comes to mind: The Palestinians suffer acute shortages of water because

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