Water is a resource that humanity has gone to great lengths to obtain. We have tried to save rainwater, dug deep wells, diverted rivers, created lakes, built long aqueducts, and spent huge amounts of energy to desalinate sea water. In the process we have often ruined good cropland by making it too salty to grow crops. We have fought wars over water supply, and will do so again. What percentage of the Earth's water is freshwater available from lakes and rivers

1.2%

Explanation:

Even thought it seems like there is plenty of surface water on Earth, it is vastly below the quantity that exists in the oceans. which comprise of about 96.5% of the entire global water quantity.

When it comes to freshwater, most of it is locked up in ice caps and glaciers with only 1.2% coming from rivers, lakes and ground ice. If humans can find an efficient way to desalinize ocean water, we would not have to worry about water supply for eons.

brave new world, aldous huxley (1932)