The Alps are Europe’s most important source of water. They are home to numerous clear mountain lakes, glaciers and springs that serve as drinking water reservoirs. But these resources are also used to generate energy. Water is the basis of life on earth, but abundance and scarcity of water sometimes go hand in hand. We visit the Verzasca Valley in Switzerland, where the mills are still powered by water and further down the plain, rainwater is collected in stone basins. Hut landlords like Christian Rimml in Ötztal must also be prudent with water.