A list of the top ten water-related things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. For more information from NRDC on water issues, visit: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sfleischli/

1. 10. Showers
Bathing is definitely something worth being thankful for. Just ask
anyone in your general vicinity. It’s also good for your health. And
after a long day, a nice warm shower just feels good. Photo: EPA WaterSense

2. 9. A Favorite Waterway
Whether it means a trip to the beach or a place to boat or fish, local
waterways are often the economic and recreational backbones of
our communities. There are so many great ones, but Santa Monica
Bay remains my personal favorite. Photo: © Mariusz Jurgielwicz/Dreamstime.com

3. 8. Aquatic Life
The diversity and complexity of aquatic life are simply amazing.
Fish and other types of aquatic life also provide much of the
world’s food. Photo: Dora Valdez

4. 7. Wetlands
Wetlands provide critical habitat, ecological diversity and water
filtration, and they serve as spawning and rearing areas for all kinds
of life. Wetlands also store water, protect communities from
flooding and provide a natural buffer from storm surges.
Photo: Earl Cunningham/USFWS

5. 6. Toilets
Just imagine life without a toilet. Most American households
have one, two or even three. The White House has 35. Yet
over 2 billion people on the planet don’t have regular access to
toilets or adequate sanitation. Photo: EPA WaterSense

6. 5. Wastewater Treatment
When you flush the toilet, it all has to go somewhere. In most U.S.
cities, it goes to sewage treatment plants. Thankfully, modern
wastewater treatment reduces disease and protects our waterways
from all that human waste – and lots of industrial waste too. The
most advanced treatment plants, like this one, recycle all that water.
Photo: West Basin Municipal Water District

7. 4. The Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act is the primary law in the U.S. that protects our waterways
from pollution. The Clean Water Act makes sure that when we dispose of
wastewater, it is treated before it is discharged back to a river or other
waterway – often the source of our drinking water or a place for swimming,
boating or fishing. Yet the law is under attack in Congress and needs
protection of its own. Photo: USDA/NRCS

8. 3. The Oceans
The world’s oceans cover more than 2/3 of the planet, sustain a
dizzying array of aquatic life, help moderate the climate and
provide food for billions of people. Photo: Heather George

9. 2. Water for Food
Agriculture consumes more water than any other use in America.
More water efficient practices are needed in many places, but it is an
inescapable fact that your Thanksgiving meal – and every meal, for
that matter – wouldn’t be possible without water.
Photo: Olga Lyubkin/Dreamtime.com

10. 1. Drinking Water
We literally can’t live for more than a few days without water. But one
billion people on the planet don’t have access to clean drinking water.
This often results in illness and death. Photo: EPA