Everywhere, water use is increasing. Humans already use fifty-four percent of all the fresh water in rivers, lakes and underground. There are some (36) that this rate will reach seventy percent by 2025. Fresh water is necessary for life on Earth. People need water for everyday activities and to (37) food. Water also is important for energy production and the health of Earth’s (38) systems.
The United Nations is organizing a (39) of events to increase concern about water issues. UN officials have declared 2003 the International Year of Fresh Water. A goal of the (40) is to build support for policies to use water more wisely. Another goal is to get more people to use water in ways that will not (41) the environment. The world population is more than six thousand million people. More than one thousand million lack safe drinking water. More than two thousand million suffer from (42) linked to dirty water. And, more than two thousand million live without waste-treatment (43) .
Water was one of the issues discussed at the LIN Millennium Summit two years ago. (44) .Officials renewed that goal last year at the Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg, South Africa. (45) Nitin Desai directs the LIN Office for Economic and Social Affairs. He says success in these goals will require major changes in the ways people use water. He says (46) .