We often take water for granted, but that is far from the case up in space. Due to the difficulties of transporting and storing sufficient water for drinking and other activities, up to 80 percent of water consumed by astronauts on board the International Space Station is recycled from condensate, runoff and urine. The remainder – about 6000 to 9000 litres a year – is supplied by cargo vehicles.

Water recycled on board the Space Station is carefully monitored to ensure it is safe for astronauts to drink. Once it has been processed and filtered, it is said to taste much like bottled water. However, space is not the only environment where wise water management is vital.

Captured by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst during his Horizons mission, the photos and tweets below show the state of our water resources back here on Earth as seen from the International Space Station.