The majority of freshwater on Earth, approximately 68.9%, is found in the form of glaciers and ice caps, making them the largest reservoirs of freshwater. Only a small fraction of this water, about 1.7% of the total freshwater, is found in liquid form on the surface of the Earth.
Rivers and lakes contain a mere fraction of this already limited amount, with rivers accounting for only about 0.0002% and lakes accounting for about 0.007%. The vast majority of liquid freshwater is found in groundwater aquifers beneath the Earth's surface, accounting for about 29.9% of all freshwater.
Additionally, not all freshwater found in rivers and lakes is suitable for direct consumption. Many rivers and lakes may be polluted by various sources, making their water unsafe for drinking or household purposes without proper treatment.
Therefore, while rivers and lakes do contain some freshwater, they only represent a small portion of the total freshwater available on Earth, and not all of this water is suitable for human consumption without further purification or treatment.
