World 'at risk of running out of water'

According to an expert, the world has reached its peak point of abundant water supplies and a shortage of sustainable water is imminent.

The Times reports that much like the term 'peak oil', humankind now faces a limit on the amount of 'sustainably managed water' left on the planet, states an annual report from the Pacific Institute in California.

Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute and expert on global freshwater resources, highlights that humans use half of the world's renewable water supplies through consumption, agriculture and industry.

He recommended that one way of lessening the impact is to help people understand the water content of everyday items on a more basic and relatable level.

It is feared that shortages could spur wars and conflicts in the future in the world's more arid regions, the newspaper informs.

In other water news, the US' Environmental Protection Agency recently recommended that people do not drink water which contains more than 0.4 parts per billion of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA.

PFOA is used in the manufacture of non-stick products.