Roughly 70 percent of the earth's surface is covered by water, but less than one percent of the earth's water is fresh, and access to fresh water is critical to the food system. In the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region the urban population is projected to grow from 1.1 to 2.0 billion by 2025, with most of the increase in China and developing economies of South East Asia. Such Population growth in its cities will put huge stress on the region's capacity to provide basic services, including water supply. Unless water control facilities are expanded and /or efficiencies in water use are achived there is potential for water shortages in Korea, Chinese Taipei, Japan, China, Mexico and in the USA.:
