Hydrosphere: Freshwater Sytems and Pollution (Our Fragile Planet)Earth is the water planet, but only a tiny amount of the planet's water is fresh and usable, and water pollution has become a monumental dilemma as we enter the 21st century. Though developed nations now regulate some pollutants and as a result their waterways are cleaner, new chemicals are increasingly being released into the environment, resulting in a toxic soup that may be causing cancers, development problems, and other concerns in people and wildlife.