Introduction

Water is a fundamental resource for life. In this module, we will describe what water access means, why it is important, and some present day challenges. We will also reflect on how water access impacts human and environmental health, food production and social justice, as well as presenting how water is stored and distributed for human activities and consumption.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe the challenges of water access and the importance of rainwater harvesting.
2. Reflect on the impacts of water access on human health, environmental health, food production and social justice.
3. Differentiate between passive and active water collection systems.

Keywords: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, salt water, desalination, freshwater, infiltration, percolation, runoff, groundwater, aquifers, transpiration, passive systems, active systems, water catchment, cistern, water cycle