[00:08] Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink may be a familiar old saying, but it's also a wise old saying, hinting that there's a limit to Earth's freshwater resources.

[00:19] Earth may be the water planet, but less than one percent of all water is available for human consumption.

[00:25] Many scientists say limited supplies of fresh water, a resource many of us take for granted, will be one of the most pervasive global crises of the 21st century. Tensions between nations, states and localities may increase.

[00:38] In Las Vegas, Nevada, where population increase is creating explosive residential and commercial development, city officials must secure water rights that now belong to bordering states themselves dealing with high water demands.

[00:51] Is the western U.S. freshwater supply sufficient to meet future development needs? Already we are seeing the demand for freshwater exceed supply in many regions of the world.

[01:01] Is water everywhere? Certainly freshwater is not an infinitely renewable resource. So using water wisely means changing old ideas about this vital life sustaining natural resource.

[01:13] To learn more about Our Changing Planet visit us on the web at www.umac.org/ocp. Our Changing Planet is a production of UMAC, the Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium at the University of North Dakota.