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WATER AND ITS EVERYDAY USES 



The desert in California before the rainy season. Note the dry sandy foreground. 



Water is one of the most important factors of our 

 environment. While there are some living things like 

 earthworms and some fish that can get on without light, 

 and while there are some animals and plants that can 

 live in a very low or a very high temperature, none of 

 them can get on without water. We even know of some 

 plants that can live without air, but these plants, tiny 

 bacteria, get oxygen from their foods and must have 

 water in order to grow. Living things need water be- 

 cause they are largely composed of this substance. 



Pure water is one of man's most desired possessions. 

 It comes from the clouds and after a long or short stay 

 with us goes back again. The adventure of a drop of 

 water would make an interesting story. Dropped from 

 the clouds as rain, it might fall into a river and from there 

 pass into a large body of water, where it would stay until 



