An adult needs about 2 L of
water a day for drinking.
In the United States, the average person uses about 300 L per
day of freshwater.
Industry
uses even more freshwater than this.
–For example about 105 L of water are used to make enough steel for
one car.
–To make 5 liters of beer, 68 liters of water is used.
As the
water flows over the earth it dissolves many substances.
Freshwater usually contains some ions (Na+, K+,
Mg2+,
Ca2+,
Fe2+,
Cl-,
SO42-, and HCO3-)
and dissolved gases (O2, N2, and CO2).