Download: Water Facts (PDF)

There is the same amount of water in the world today, as there was when the earth was formed; actually it’s the same water. The water that comes out of your faucet today could have been part of a glacier that carved the face of the earth years and years ago. It could have been part of the oceans when the Vikings set sail to explore the New World. Water is the only substance naturally found in all three states on earth (solid, liquid, and vapor).

• Nearly 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water but less than 3% is drinkable.
• The oceans hold about 97%, and the glaciers and polar ice caps hold another 2%. This leaves less than 1% of the world’s water for us to use; this includes agricultural, manufacturing, community and personal household needs.
• The polar ice caps contain 77% of the world’s fresh water supply and another 22% is trapped in the ground. This leaves only 3% of the world’s fresh water supply in lakes and rivers.

Of all the water produced for human consummation, less that 1% is actually consumed. Nearly 40% of our water is used outdoors for landscaping and cleaning, another 30% is flushed down the toilet, almost 19% goes down the drain during showers and baths, and about 10% is used for washing our clothes and dishes. This leaves about 1% for cooking and drinking.

All living things need water to survive! The average person could live as long as 20 to 25 days without food but wouldn’t survive without water for longer than a week. The human body is made up of 66% water. Our bones are 33% water, our brain cells contain 75% water, our skin averages about 70% water, and even our blood is mostly water.

The recommended daily water intake is ten (10) 8 oz. glasses. Cold water is better to drink because it absorbs into the body faster and your body then burns calories to heat back up.

With a meager 2% loss of your body fluids, your energy level can decrease as much as 20%. A 10% loss of body fluids and you will start to loose muscle control. If you loose 20% of your body fluids, death becomes eminent.

• The average person must consume 2½ quarts of water per/day from all sources, i.e., water, food, etc. to maintain good health.
• The average person who lives until the age of 70 will require approximately 1.5 million gallons of water throughout their life.
• More than 70% of the world’s population goes without clean water.

LAKE MICHIGAN WATER FACTS

The Great Lakes were formed when the glaciers cut through the surface of the earth and melted. This created the largest source of fresh water on the face of the planet.

Even though Lake Michigan is the largest lake in the United States it is only the 3rd largest of the Great Lakes and the 5th largest lake in the world. Lake Michigan is 923 feet deep at its deepest point and 307 miles long and 118 miles wide at its widest point. It is the only Great Lake to lie completely within the boundaries of the United Sates.

Lake Michigan contains so much water that more than 320,000 gallons evaporate off of the Lake every second!

Lake Michigan is so big that more than 400,000 gallons of rain or snow land on the lake every second!