With this year’s motto “save our glaciers,” the UN, in cooperation with UNESCO and WMO (World Meteorological Organization), is rightly drawing attention to the major changes on our planet that have a direct impact on freshwater reserves.
By Matthias Kremer, Industry Manager Water & Wastewater, JUMO
There is enough water on Earth. However, of the approximately 1.4 billion km³, around 97.5% is distributed in the oceans as saltwater that is of little direct use. Only the remaining 2.5% is considered fresh water, which is vital for biological life on the land mass. Unfortunately, only 0.3% of this is accessible to us in lakes, rivers and wells; the rest is trapped as ice in glaciers in the Arctic, Antarctic, and the mountains. In addition, deep groundwater that is difficult to reach forms part of this total amount.
Snow in the mountains and glaciers is a major source of drinking water for more than 2 billion people around the world and is valuable for agricultural irrigation and energy production. The melted snow feeds rivers and lakes and is stored again as snow and ice in the cold months.
Reserves are dwindling
Due to climate change, these water reserves threaten to become smaller or disappear completely in the future. As a result, many parts of the world urgently need alternative supply sources.
Glaciers are a source of life
Glaciers store about 170,000 km3 of ice, and nearly 70% of Earth’s freshwater comes from this snow and ice. The ice in Greenland and Antarctica is a particularly critical source, accounting for 68 of that 70% of global freshwater, but glaciers can be found on every continent. In fact, the world has more than 275,000 glaciers, covering an area of around 700,000 km3. Source: https://www.un-glaciers.org/en/key-messages
Seawater desalination or the purification and direct reutilization of wastewater are possible but costly solutions. It is important that fresh water remains affordable and accessible as the basis of life. The process engineering methods and systems for this exist and are being further developed.
A high degree of automation and, in the future, artificial intelligence (AI), which will be fed with measurement data from smart sensors, are the prerequisites for maintaining and producing enough quality water. Products such as the JUMO sensor and automation program support plant engineering worldwide in mastering this mammoth task. The various sensors and measuring systems are used in all quality and application phases, from seawater into drinkable, process, or cooling water, as well as high-purity water for pharmaceutical use.
Drinking water is urgently needed
A drinking water supply project in Solapur, India, is an illustrative example. The water is taken from a dammed river, polluted to varying degrees by the surrounding industry.
2025 – The year of glaciers’ preservation
UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) officially launched the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, marking a crucial milestone in global efforts to protect the vital ice that provides freshwater to over 2 billion people. This global and coordinated initiative throughout the year seeks to highlight the critical role of glaciers and address the urgent challenges posed by accelerated glacier melt. For more information, please visit the official UN page: https://www.un-glaciers.org/en.
Measurements at the inlet and outlet of the waterworks should make it possible to record these industry inputs over a longer period of time and ensure that better quality water can be made available to the population. Effective water treatment can therefore mitigate or even stop water scarcity.
Overall, the water supply situation in India is critical despite regions with strong monsoon seasons. Part of the country needs meltwater from the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. Several large rivers run through this region, supplying more than 1.5 billion people in India and other neighboring countries with drinking water and water for agricultural irrigation purposes.
A lack of meltwater would be a fatal development in India. JUMO took part in a symposium in Chennai in October 2024, as part of a German business delegation. Sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and organized by the Indo-German Chamber of Foreign Trade with the involvement of the German Water Partnership, around ten German companies from the water sector were able to exchange ideas with local Indian politicians, scientists, and water companies, and develop concrete solutions.
The global water crisis is here to stay
There is no question: the global water crisis will unfortunately continue to occupy us for years to come. Efficient water treatment is therefore becoming increasingly important.
About the author 
Matthias Kremer studied automation and sensor technology at what is now the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt, earning a degree in engineering. Passionate about environmental protection, his career was shaped by a desire to contribute to sustainable industrial practices. Since 1994, Kremer has worked at JUMO’s Fulda location, advancing from sales to product line management for analytical measurement technology, with a focus on electrochemical sensors for water and wastewater treatment. He actively participates in industry associations like ZVEI (German Electrical and Digital Industry Association), figawa (Federal Association of Companies in the Gas and Water Industry), and the German Water Partnership, and today leads JUMO’s industrial water management efforts globally.