A few months ago I spoke on a panel on, “The Art and Science of Reporting Water Related Risk at the annual BSR conference in NYC. Intel was invited because we are transparent regarding our water use, and we have a corporate water policy that references the Human Right to Water. As I prepared for the panel, it occurred to me how little most of us really think about water on a daily basis. We simply go to the sink, turn on the faucet and it’s there.

However if you look back in history, it was not always that way. Water was a much more front and center part of our daily survival and existence; much like it is for people in many parts of the world. To find evidence of the fundamental role water played in our life, you have to go no further than to look at our language. Water related phrases and terms are woven into the fabric of our speech, because water was, and still does equal life. Here are some terms I came up with, do you have others to add to the list?

1. I’m in deep water

2. Keep your head above water

3. Makes your mouth water

4. Don’t muddy the water

5. He walks on water

6. Still waters run deep

7. I’ll float it by you

8. Let’s take a deep dive

9. We can’t boil the ocean

10. Let’s make a splash

11. Don’t make waves

12. Blood is thicker than water

13. Come hell or high water

14. Going to the watering hole

15. That’s water under the bridge

16. It’s been watered down

17. You can lead a horse to water, but…..

18. Feel like a fish out of water

19. You’re in hot water

20. Cry me a river