To survive we need water:
- A human being needs approx. 3 litres of water per day for drinking.
- The per capita consumption is at approx. 130 litres - for drinking, taking a shower or a bath, cooking, washing clothes, washing dishes or also for heating.
- On average 625 m³ water are annually consumed by one human being.
- The human being consists of approx. 60 % water.
- A human being can survive up to 40 days without food, but not longer than 4 days without water.
- According to the WHO 5 million people die annually as a result of drinking contaminated water.
- In 25 years up to 6 billion people will suffer from water shortage for hygienic reasons.
The global water reserves are, however, limited and in addition the world population will increase, according to UNO estimates, from 6.6 billion people today to 9.2 billion in the year of 2050. Owing to the increasing average water consumption per capita, currently 625 m³ per year, future water consumption will increase disproportionately.
Worldwide more than one billion people do not have clean drinking water. In 25 years 6 billion people will suffer from water shortage for hygienic reasons. Also in Europe the natural drinking water resources are under increasing stress. Water stress is caused when the quantities of water consumption exceed those of water availability. In Austria annually only 3 % of the quantity of renewable water resources are used, which means that we are living in a real water paradise. Whereas e.g. Bulgaria or Belgium are suffering of high water stress, as here annually 55 % or 41 % of the renewable water resources are used.