Few people know that there is less water than they might think there is.

Water is an essential source of hydration that all living things need to survive. However, the Earth is nearing the end of its supply. According to The World Counts, four trillion gallons of water are used worldwide everyday. About 100 gallons of water are used by the average Phoenix citizen everyday. At this rate, planet Earth will run out of water in 16 years, or by 2040.

To slow the rate of wasteful water use, more people can start by reducing the amount of water they use. For instance, you can choose to make showers shorter or just take a bath, turn off the water when shaving, or finish a glass of water instead of pouring it down the drain, only to fill the cup again later. In addition, Volusia says to keep an eye on the sprinklers so they only hit the garden and not the road or anywhere that doesn’t need water. Sprinklers use a lot of water so it’s good to make sure that they aren’t being used if it’s not necessary. People can also get involved politically by urging lawmakers to implement policies targeting the water crisis.

If society is bright enough, water shortage won’t be what kills humanity. There are few options of what to do once the freshwater supply is gone but there are still a few solutions that can hold humanity over until a better solution is found. For instance, desalination, the process of turning water from sources with salt water (saline water) into fresh water to drink, is one option. There are already many factories or plants that are dedicated to this process. According to Cosmos, desalination plants work by pumping water through a membrane with incredibly small holes that are only big enough to let water through, and not any other materials like salt or bacteria. This method is called reverse osmosis, which has been used for thousands of years. Soon, it will be very important. 

Eventually, the time will come when there is no natural fresh water at the rate humanity is going. Until then, people can work to reduce the amount of water used. Even the little things can help. Hopefully, the closer humanity gets to that point, the more people will start to help, whether that’s making more desalination plants or doing more research on saving the planet.