Water (H2O, HOH) is the most abundant molecule on Earth's surface, constituting about 70% of the planet's surface. In nature it exists in liquid, solid, and gaseous states. It is in dynamic equilibrium between the liquid and gas states at standard temperature and pressure. At room temperature, it is a nearly colorless with a hint of blue, tasteless, and odorless liquid.
Many substances dissolve in water and it is commonly referred to as the universal solvent. Because of this, water in nature and in use is rarely pure and some of its properties may vary slightly from those of the pure substance. However, there are many compounds that are essentially, if not completely, insoluble in water.
Water is the only common substance found naturally in all three common states of matter—for other substances, see chemical properties. Water is essential for life on Earth. Water usually makes up 55% to 78% of the human body.
Ophelia Booth, at front, attaches a bright blue fish to a drain in Clyde Street last week, while the rest of the fishy drains crew look on; from left, Diana Booth, Brett Gibson, Councillor Rabbit Nottage and Phil Gerbault. Cr Rabbit instigated the ‘Mountains to Sea’ drains label project, to encourage people to keep the drains free of contaminants. “We want to make people aware that what goes into the drains goes into our streams, then into rivers and then into the sea.”
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It's World Ocean Day and the children at Springlands School in Blenheim are celebrating by challenging the town to keep its drains cleaner.The school's Fish on Drains project started last year, when they fixed a plastic blue fish above a stormwater drain, reminding people not to pollute the waterways.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/5114609/Fish-a-reminder-to-keep-drains-clean
