Environmental Leader

A new survey shows that 93 percent of people view water pollution as a serious or very serious problem, and that 91 percent view a water shortage as a serious or very serious problem.

The new survey, by Circle of Blue, highlights opinions on water in 15 nations. Click here for some related charts.

The survey took a closer look at water impressions in seven countries, where Circle of Blue found:

• People in Mexico are the most concerned about “lack of water for agriculture” (75 percent are very concerned).
• People in India are most concerned about “the high cost of water” (60 percent) compared to other countries.
• People in Mexico express the most urgency about the severity of the pollution and water scarcity issues they face, but also the most optimism about their ability to solve the problems.
• In all countries, more than half of those surveyed agree that government is responsible for ensuring clean water. When asked whether individual citizens are responsible, however, responses vary widely by country, from a high of 76 percent in Mexico to a low of 30 percent in China.

Molson Coors, a co-sponsor of the survey, said that civic involvement is crucial to improving water quality and availability around the globe, according to a press release.

In a look at seven nations, Canadians represented the biggest individual users of water. Here is a look at average water consumption per capita, in liters per day.

1. Canada – 759
2. U.S. – 570
3. Mexico – 340
4. Russia – 279
5. India – 128
6. U.K. – 119
7. China – 80

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