Although over 70% of Earth’s surface is covered with water, less than 1% of this water is available for human consumption. In this lesson, students study the availability of water on Earth and discuss methods that can be used to purify and conserve this critical resource. They also assess how much water they and their families typically use, and think about ways to reduce their water usage. Finally, students explore different techniques being employed for water management around the world, including the use of dams to create reservoirs.