The world is waking up to the water and sanitation crisis. Water is essential for life. No living being on planet Earth can survive without it. It is a prerequisite for human health and well-being as well as for the preservation of the environment. This video, produced for the International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015, provides basic facts and figures on the current situation and introduces the main challenges water is confronted with in today's world.