Hydrology is, simply put, the study of water. This shouldn’t be too surprising as “hydro” comes from the Greek word for water. For a more complex definition, try the one provided by the US Geological Survey, a part of the Department of the Interior: “the science that encompasses the occurrence, distribution, movement and properties of the waters of the earth and their relationship with the environment within each phase of the hydrologic cycle”.

Water is one of the most crucial elements necessary for the sustenance of life. At its most basic level, water is required for human beings to survive. If you’re reading this, you’re probably lucky enough to have access to clean drinking water. Unfortunately, nearly 830,00 people die each year because they don’t have access to safe, treated drinking water.

But it isn’t just drinking, swimming, and bathing that needs water. Almost every single process on earth requires water in some form or another. Think about the clothes you’re wearing right now. They’re probably at least partially made from cotton. To get that t-shirt to you, someone had to grow the cotton plant that produced the cotton that it uses. And growing enough cotton for one tshirt can take up to 2,700 liters, or 713 gallons, of water. This doesn’t just apply to clothes. Every single thing that you see around you probably started off being grown on a farm somewhere. And growing things takes water — 70% of the world’s water goes to agriculture.

Where does all this water come from? That’s where hydrologists, people who study hydrology, come in. Hydrologists study the quality, quantity, and accessibility of water to advise others on how best to use water in a way that doesn’t damage the environment. Hydrologists also solve problems related to water — for example, constant flooding or drinking water that’s suddenly become polluted.

Most of the water we use comes from two sources: surface water and groundwater. Surface water means water that comes from lakes, rivers, and other large water bodies on the surface, other than oceans (people who study the oceans are called oceanographers and are different from hydrologists). As most major cities are built near rivers, this is where most of their water comes from. They can also build dams to use water to generate renewable energy. Hydrologists would work with city officials to plan and maintain the city’s water system.

The second source of water is groundwater. This is water that comes from underneath the earth’s surface. Digging wells is probably the most primitive form of groundwater. Hydrologists analyse groundwater to see if it is viable to use in a city’s water system. They also devise ways to extract the water without hurting the environment.

While the study of hydrology and the work of hydrologists is important in making sure cities and countries can run, there are many other benefits that come with having a deeper understanding of how exactly water works. Water is often considered to be nature’s cure for everything. Think about how many times in your life you’ve told someone to drink a glass of water. “Drink lots of water” seems to be your mom’s solution to everything — from a hangover to a hot day to a fever. From hair regrowth for men to Sea Monkeys, water can be used for almost any conceivable thing.

Water is also used in medicine. This is known as hydrotherapy, and involves treatments that make use of water. Moving in water is actually more low impact than moving on land, as the water can cushion your limbs and joints. The feeling of weightlessness is because the water is supporting your weight, and can lead to relief for patients suffering from back pain and other types of chronic pain.

So now that you know the benefits of water and you’ve decided you want to become a hydrologist, how exactly do you go about it? Well, the good news is that you don’t need to study hydrology to become a hydrologist. But you will need a good undergraduate education that covers maths, statistics, geology, sciences, and computer science. Understanding public policy and government affairs will also help you learn how to deal with the authorities you will very likely be working with in the future.

According to the Department of Labor, the demand for hydrologists is likely to grow by 5% between 2019 and 2029, faster than average. With climate change and population growth threatening to upend our established systems of water distribution, more hydrologists will be needed to deal with the increasing challenge of making sure everyone has access to water. Being a hydrologist is a great way to play a part in protecting one of the most basic resources that humans need — so why not give it a shot?