Water is undoubtedly one of the most precious natural resources for life on earth. Without access to good quality freshwater, human, animal and plant survival is impossible, while many industries are also highly dependent on reliable sources of water for their day-to-day operations and long-term viability. However, factors such as climate variability, droughts, growing populations and economic expansion are all placing greater demand on the available water sources. The extent of the water problem is starkly illustrated by the data: only 2.5% of the world’s water is…