With more than 30 years’ experience in the residential and commercial water treatment space, Mark Nelson is a Class 1 Drinking-Water Operator and a CBWA (Canadian Bottled Water Association) Certified Plant Operator. As founder and president of Nelson Water in Ottawa, Mark focuses on dealing with challenging water treatment system designs for problem water. He also heads the largest water bottling plant in the city of Ottawa with a delivery network throughout the Valley. 

We all need water to survive, but many of us overlook how amazing this substance actually is. So, here we’ll explore some amazing water facts, so you can develop a real appreciation for this life giving fluid.

There Are Two Types of Water

There are two types of water in the world; fresh water and salt water. Freshwater contains less than 1% dissolved salt, while saltwater contains massive quantities of salt. We can only use fresh water for drinking, but it is the smallest water resource. Imagine if all the water in the world were in a one gallon jug, there would only be one tablespoon of freshwater and the rest would be salt water.

Water Use Varies Massively Around the World 

While you would expect third world nations to use less water, water use also varies greatly in the first world. For example, Americans use five times more water on average compared to Europeans.

Small Drips = Massive Water Waste

While most of us are aware that a burst pipe can lead to massive water loss, but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore leaky taps and dripping pipes. Even a small drip can add up to as much as 75 litres of wasted water each day. So, don’t delay fixing that dripping tap as you may be wasting far more water than you realize.

Frozen Water Has Less Mass

If you’ve ever wondered why ice floats, you’re not alone. Frozen water is approximately 9% lighter compared to liquid water.

Water Exists in Three Forms

There is only one substance on earth naturally found in three forms; water. Water can exist naturally as a gas, solid and liquid.

The Sun Evaporates Trillions of Tons of Water

If you were ever in doubt about the power of the sun, bear this in mind; the sun evaporates a trillion tons of water each and every day.

Water is Excellent at Regulating Body Temperature

Whether you’ve just had a massive gym session or are running a fever, make sure you drink plenty of water. Water is excellent at regulating body temperature as it keeps you properly hydrated.

Canada Has Massive Underwater Supplies

While many countries have ample surface water supplies, Canada has more water underground compared to surface water supplies.

Most of Our Water is Salty or Permanently Frozen

While you may see lots of rivers or lakes in your area, it may be hard to believe, but most of the water on the surface of the earth is either salty or permanently frozen.

Antarctica Contains 90% of Global Fresh Water Supplies

Although there are lakes, rivers, and streams all over the world, this accounts for a small percentage of the world’s freshwater supplies. In fact, over 90% of the global freshwater supplies are located in Antarctica.

Water is a Closed System

If you think back to school, you may remember being taught the water cycle, but many of us forget that the earth is a closed system. This means that matter is rarely lost or gained. This means that the water we see and use today has existed on earth for millions of years.