What is Water and Why is it so Important for Life?

Water is a common chemical substance that is essential to all known forms of life. It is a basic molecule made up of two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom, thus also known as H2O. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or state, but the substance also has a solid state, which is ice, and a gaseous state, which is water vapor.

Water covers 70% of the surface of the earth. 97% of it is salt water, and only 3% is fresh water (48 million cubic meters), which is available for us humans, theoretically. But half of this fresh water source is not accessible for us, since it is stored as ice at the poles, glaciers and in permafrost soil.

Through a cycle of evaporation of transpiration, precipitation, and runoff, water moves continually until it usually reaches the sea. Winds carry water vapor over land at the same rate as runoff into the sea. Some water is trapped for varying periods in glaciers, ice caps, aquifers or in lakes, providing fresh water for life on land in certain areas.

Clean, fresh water is essential to all life on Earth, yet, in many parts of the world, it is in short supply. Uses of fresh water can be categorized into the following areas:

  • Agricultural: Around 69% of fresh water is used for irrigation
  • Industrial: Estimated 15% of fresh water is used for power plants, oil refineries, manufacturing plants
  • Household: Around 15% of world-wide water use is for household purposes, whereby:
    - 29% is used for toilet flushing
    - 21% for washing machines
    - 21% for showering
    - 12% for taps
    - 9% for bathing
    - 5% for leaks
    - 3% for dish washers
  • Recreation: Very small, but growing percentage of water usage, including recreational purposes such as whitewater boating, ice-hockey, swimming, water skiing, angling, and golf course watering
  • Environmental: Also very small, but growing usage, e.g. for artificial wetlands, artificial lakes, fish facility around dams, and water releases from reservoirs during fish breeding season.

Why is water so important for Life on Earth?
Life couldn't exist without water. Water is the only substance which exists in liquid form on the surface of our planet, which makes it so unique and fundamental for all life on Earth.

Moreover, water is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid. Being such an excellent solvent, water serves as a transport medium for chemical and biological compounds. It transports valuable minerals and nutrients, either through the soil or through our body, making it vital for all living cells.

Another unique characteristic of water is that it expands when freezing, thus becoming less dense. As a result, ice floats on water, which is also very important for all life on Earth. As it freezes and floats, it protects the water underneath. Without this characteristic of water, most of the biosphere would be solid ice, making life impossible.


Why is water so important for the human being in particular?
Water is a vital component of the human body as our bodies consist of around 70% of it. For example, a healthy woman who weighs around 55 kg contains about 33 liters of water.

Water is essential for the whole body chemistry and all metabolic functions. It is the foundation for good health. Important functions include

  • Digestion of food
  • Transportation of nutrients to cells and removal of waste products
  • Cushion of organs and joints
  • Regulation of the body temperature

Every human being should at least drink 2-3 liters of water every day (each 20kg = 800 ml) to avoid dehydration. Thereby, water must be clean and pure to not add toxins to the blood system and overload the organs and internal health system.


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