# Freshwater

Water resources and ecosystems that support people, livelihoods, and life on Earth.

Canonical page: https://givegigs.com/wiki/freshwater
Last updated: 2026-11-09T19:00:11.722Z
Parent topic: [health-and-living-earth](https://givegigs.com/wiki/health-and-living-earth)

## Contents
- [Overview](#wiki-section-overview-1)
- [Availability and connected ecosystems](#wiki-section-availability-and-ecosystems-2)
- [Stewardship and fair access](#wiki-section-stewardship-3)

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## Overview

Freshwater includes water in rivers, lakes, wetlands, glaciers, soil, and underground aquifers. It moves through a connected water cycle and supports drinking water, sanitation, food production, ecosystems, and many livelihoods. Water is renewable through that cycle, but usable supplies are limited by location, timing, quality, infrastructure, and competing needs.

Explore related topics:
- [climate-change](https://givegigs.com/wiki/climate-change)
- [ecosystem](https://givegigs.com/wiki/ecosystem)
- [public-health](https://givegigs.com/wiki/public-health)
- [food-systems](https://givegigs.com/wiki/food-systems)
- [sustainable-development](https://givegigs.com/wiki/sustainable-development)

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## Availability and connected ecosystems

A basin's water availability changes with seasons, rainfall, evaporation, storage, and upstream withdrawals. Surface water and groundwater can be connected, so pumping or land-use changes may affect springs, rivers, wetlands, and downstream users. Water quality and reliable access matter alongside total volume; a local water assessment should name the place, source, period, and measure used.

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## Stewardship and fair access

Water planning involves households, farms, industry, public services, and ecosystems that depend on the same basin. Useful decisions monitor withdrawals and quality, protect watersheds and freshwater habitats, reduce avoidable losses, and include affected communities in governance. Water rights, scarcity thresholds, and responsibilities vary by place; use current local data and rules rather than treating a global indicator as a local conclusion.

## Sources

- [UN-Water: Water Scarcity and Water Ecosystems](https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-scarcity)
- [UN-Water: Water and Ecosystems](https://www.unwater.org/water-facts/water-and-ecosystems)

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