Freshwater use includes freshwater withdrawals for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses. This is shown in the chart. Rates of global freshwater use increased sharply from the 1950s onwards but since 2000 appear to be plateauing, or at least slowing.

Demand for freshwater is increasing by 64 billion cubic meters a year (1 cubic meter = 1,000 liters) The world’s population is growing by roughly 80 million people each year. Changes in lifestyles and eating habits in recent years are requiring more water consumption per capita.

The decline in global freshwater reported in the study began with a massive drought in northern and central Brazil, and was followed shortly by a series of major droughts in Australasia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa.

Typically, fresh water is defined as water with a salinity of less than 1% that of the oceans – i.e. below around 0.35‰. Water with a salinity between this level and 1‰ is typically referred to as marginal water because it is marginal for many uses by humans and animals.