Water shortage and pollution, realities of the 21st century

Abstract

Introduction: water is the basic natural resource that guarantees the life of all living beings on the planet. However, its scarcity and pollution cause millions of people to have poor access to this much-needed good.                                                        Objective: describe the consequences of pollution and scarcity of water for living beings.                                                                                                                                      Material and method: With the consultation of 21 notable articles, magazine and book numbers, a bibliographic review was carried out, using databases such as Scielo and other Internet searches. Development: water contributes to the development and survival of all living organisms, being a necessary element for them by intervening in an essential way in their main functions and habitats. Conclusions: a polluted and scarce water poses serious problems at the environmental level, regarding health, public health and / or damage to ecosystems, which affects the quality of life of people, so it is essential to take measures and attitudes immediately to reverse the current situation that threatens the destruction of life on the Planet.