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Water Crisis: Understanding The Causes and Seeking Solutions

• Categories: Environmental Issues Water Scarcity

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Words: 1019 |

Published: Jan 28, 2021

Words: 1019 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Causes of the water crisis, consequences of the water crisis, seeking solutions to the water crisis.

• Invest in water storage, distribution, and treatment infrastructure.
• Implement smart technologies for monitoring and controlling water usage.
• Promote efficient water allocation and pricing mechanisms.
• Encourage farmers to adopt precision agriculture techniques.
• Promote the use of drought-resistant crop varieties.
• Implement efficient irrigation systems, such as drip irrigation.
• Reduce excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.
• Promote water conservation at the individual and community levels.
• Fix water leaks and encourage the use of low-flow appliances.
• Educate the public on water-saving habits.
• Invest in advanced wastewater treatment facilities.
• Implement stricter regulations on industrial and agricultural wastewater discharge.
• Promote the recycling and reuse of treated wastewater (water reclamation).
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through sustainable energy sources.
• Support afforestation and reforestation efforts to maintain water catchment areas.
• Develop and implement climate-resilient water management strategies.
• ABC News. (2019). Chennai's the latest city to have almost run out of water, and other cities could follow suit. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06- 22/chennais-telling-the-globe-a-story-about-water-scarcity/11229084
• Ceranic, I. (2018). Perth rainfall is higher than Melbourne, Hobart, London despite reputation for sunny beaches. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018- 04-24/perth-rainfall-higher-than-melbourne-hobart-and-london/9688142
• Green Water Plumbing. (2019). Water Crisis: Is Australia Running Out of Water? Retrieved from https://www.greenplanetplumbing.com.au/water-crisis-is- australia-running-out-of-water/
• Juneja, P. (n.d.). The Economic Impact of Cape Town’s Water Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/economic-impact-of-cape-town-water- crisis.htm
• Qureshi, M. E.; Hanjra, Munir A.; Ward, J. (2013). Impact of water scarcity in Australia on global food security in an era of climate change. Food Policy, 38:136-145. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2012.11.003
• Thirumurthy, P. The News Minute. (2019). Chennai water crisis: Schools closes down for junior classes, others declare half-day. Retrieved from https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/chennai-water-crisis-school-closes-down- junior-classes-others-declare-half-day-103919
• United Nations. (2014). Water for Life Decade: Water scarcity. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml
• Wright, I. (2017). This is what Australia’s growing cities need to do to avoid running dry. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/this-is-what-australias-growing-cities- need-to-do-to-avoid-running-dry-86301
• Lakshmi, K. (2019). Chennai’s Day Zero: It’s not just meteorology but mismanagement that’s made the city run dry. Retrieved from https://www.thehindu.com/sci- tech/energy-and-environment/chennais-day-zero-its-not-just-meteorology-but- mismanagement-thats-made-the-city-run-dry/article28197491.ece

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• The Water Crisis

The power of water

Water connects every aspect of life. Access to safe water and sanitation can quickly turn problems into potential – empowering people with time for school and work, and contributing to improved health for women, children, and families around the world. 

Today, 2.2 billion people – 1 in 4 – lack access to safe water and 3.5 billion people – 2 in 5 – lack access to a safe toilet. These are the people we empower.

Learn more about the global water crisis >

Learn more about the global sanitation crisis >

A women's crisis

Women are disproportionately affected by the water crisis, as they are often responsible for collecting water. This takes time away from work, school and caring for family. The lack of water and sanitation locks women in a cycle of poverty. 

Empowering women is critical to solving the water crisis. When women have access to safe water at home, they can pursue more beyond water collection and their traditional roles. They have time to work and add to their household income. 

Learn how the water crisis affects women >

Women and children bear the primary responsibility for water collection.

A health crisis

The water crisis is a health crisis. More than 1 million people die each year from water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases which could be reduced with access to safe water or sanitation. Every 2 minutes a child dies from a water-related disease. Access to safe water and sanitation contributes to improved health and helps prevent the spread of infectious disease. It means reduced child and maternal mortality rates. It means reduced physical injury from constant lifting and carrying heavy loads of water. Now more than ever, access to safe water is critical to the health of families around the world.

Read why the water crisis is a health crisis >

A children's and education crisis

Children are often responsible for collecting water for their families. This takes time away from school and play. Access to safe water and sanitation changes this. Reductions in time spent collecting water have been found to increase school attendance, especially for girls. Access to safe water gives children time to play and opportunity for a bright future.

See how the water crisis affects children and their education >

Reductions in time spent collecting water increases school attendance, especially for girls.

An economic crisis

Time spent gathering water or seeking safe sanitation accounts for billions in lost economic opportunities. $260 billion is lost globally each year due to lack of basic water and sanitation. Access to safe water and sanitation at home turns time spent into time saved, giving families more time to pursue education and work opportunities that will help them break the cycle of poverty.

Learn more about how the water crisis is an economic crisis >

A climate crisis

Water is the primary way in which we will feel many of the effects of climate change. Millions of families in poverty live in regions where water access is limited, temporary, or unstable. They are less prepared to face the effects of climate change like temperature extremes, floods, and droughts. Access to sustainable safe water and improved sanitation solutions can support climate resiliency for the people who need it the most.

Read more about the connection between climate change and water access >

By 2025, 50% of the world’s population is projected to live in water-stressed areas as a result of climate change, with low-income families bearing the greatest burden of this crisis.

• World Health Organization and UNICEF. (2023). Progress on Household Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene 2000-2022: Special focus on gender.
• World Health Organization and UNICEF. (2020). Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools: Special focus on COVID-19.
• UN-Water. (2019). Policy Brief on Climate Change and Water.
• World Health Organization and UNICEF. (2020). State of the World's Sanitation: An urgent call to transform sanitation for better health, environments, economies and societies.
• Hutton, G., and M. Varughese. (2020). Global and Regional Costs of Achieving Universal Access to Sanitation to Meet SDG Target 6.2.
• World Health Organization. (2019). Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene.
• World Health Organization, UNICEF, and World Bank. (2022). State of the world’s drinking water: an urgent call to action to accelerate progress on ensuring safe drinking water for all.
• WaterAid. (2021). Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery.

The water crisis affects millions around the world. Make an impact today.

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Water Shortage: Causes & Solutions

Updated:  October 28, 2019

We take a close look at the worldwide water shortage. How does it happen? What can be done about it? We try to shed some light in today’s article.

The world is facing a slowly worsening crisis in the coming years, and it’s predicted to become a global crisis by 2025. Today, half a billion people live in conditions of water scarcity, but, if current trends continue, demand will outpace supply by 40% by the year 2030.

Only 3% of the water on earth is fresh water, suitable for drinking, and nearly all of the fresh water supply is difficult to access, leaving just 0.014% of our planet’s water available for our needs. Although it is such a tiny percentage of the earth’s water, at the moment that small amount of fresh water is still just about sufficient to satisfy all our needs.

In today’s article, we take a close look at the main causes of water scarcity. Why is this a problem in today’s modern world?

We also take a look at some of the solutions on offer. Things need to change and change soon.

Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, we may make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

How Do We Use Fresh Water?

Human needs for water are tremendous. Not only is clean drinking water necessary for our biological survival, but it is also essential in the preparation of many of the foods that we rely upon, and crucial for basic hygiene that keeps us healthy.

Even in cases of extreme water scarcity and shortage, the average person still needs a minimum of 7.5 liters of water every day to survive and maintain health.

But, aside from our needs for basic survival consumption and hygiene, we also use water in dozens of ways every single day, and it is an essential facet of every part of human life.

Here are just some of the ways that we use water:

• Household cleaning and sanitation: While we all need water to bathe ourselves in and keep our bodies clean , we also use water to wash clothes, dishes, floors, and household surfaces and utensils. In communities with flushing toilets, we use liters of water every time we use the bathroom.
• Community cleaning and sanitation: Cities use and require water for public sanitation and the operation of sewer systems, as well as in fire preparation and prevention methods, cleaning of public and private buildings, roads, and sidewalks. Cities also provide water-consuming public services, like public parks and recreational areas that frequently require water.
• Agricultural crops: Of course we also use water to grow healthy fruits, grains, and vegetables required for our food production. We also grow cotton, which is the most water-consuming crop in the world, requiring 7,000 – 29,000 liters of water per kilogram of harvested cotton. Rice and sugar cane are also crops that require large quantities of water to grow.
• Agricultural livestock: In addition to using water to grow crops, water is also necessary to grow healthy livestock. Cattle, horses, and mules all require 20-30 liters of drinking water per animal per day in order to stay healthy. And cattle and horses in a farm setting also require water-consuming food to eat, like alfalfa and other grains. In fact, the global average is that it takes 1,799 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.
• Electric power: Dams are praised for being a source of energy that doesn’t require any fossil fuels, and produces no emissions. As of 2014, dams produced over 16% of the world’s electricity, and dams are often seen as a solution for increasing power needs in parts of the world where fossil fuels are scarce. Large amounts of water are also necessary to cool nuclear and coal-fueled power plants.
• Transportation: Rivers remain one of the world’s most ancient and essential ways of transporting people and goods.
• Industry and manufacturing: Many industries require large quantities of water in the production of goods. Tanneries, paper mills, textile mills, and steel mills require enormous amounts of water. Traditional mining of metals and ores does not need large amounts of water, but fracking consumes large amounts of freshwater. For example, Oklahoma used 10 billion gallons of fresh water in fracking operations between 2005-2012, which amounted to 2% of all the fresh water in the state.

As you can imagine, water scarcity and water shortages have the potential to impact nearly every aspect of a person’s life, from the way they clean their home to the way they work and the services provided by their government. And this list only includes direct human use of water. Recent years have shown that drought conditions in wilderness areas can cause wildfires with catastrophic consequences.

Recommended Reading: Don’t miss our article on ocean pollution next!

Causes of Water Scarcity

In one sense, freshwater scarcity is simply a fact of life on earth. There is only so much fresh water available, and there has always been water scarcity in certain climates, regions, and seasons.

For most of the history of the planet, access to fresh water has shaped everything from the migration of animals, the sites of human habitation, to the kinds of agricultural and industrial activities possible in a given place. Water scarcity is a fact of life. However, recent decades have made it more problematic and increased awareness, largely due to two factors:

Cause of Water Scarcity #1: Increasing Demand

• Population: The past 100 years have seen incredible growth in the human population, due to medical advances that have prolonged life and improved mortality rates, and agricultural improvements that have increased the food supply. In 1800, there were only one billion people on earth. But in recent history, we have added another billion people to the planet every 12 years, from 6 billion in 1999 to 7 billion in 2011, to an anticipated 8 billion in 2023.
• Urbanization: In addition to the sheer population growth overall, we are experiencing increased urbanization. In 1950, 30% of the people in the world lived in cities. By 2050, it’s expected to be nearly 70%. As we have seen above, cities themselves consume water, and as they grow, they consume more.
• Competition: These factors have increased competition for fresh water, often unintentionally. Cities like Las Vegas and Dubai were founded in areas with natural water scarcity. As those cities have grown, they have strained the water supply for the surrounding region, increasing competition for fresh water. The Colorado River once ran to the Gulf of California, supplying fresh water for downriver needs in Arizona and California, but now it seldom reaches the gulf at all. As Las Vegas consumes ever more water, communities, wildlife habitats, and industries downriver are impacted, and this kind of competition is playing out in hundreds of climates, countries, and communities all over the world.
• Climate: Finally, global climate change is impacting fresh water supplies everywhere. Higher temperatures mean reduced snowfalls and shrinking glaciers, as well as increasing the percentage of fresh water evaporation. Our rivers, aquifers, and watersheds simply have less water in them than they once did.
• War: Conflict is an often-overlooked factor that affects access to water supplies. In times of war, the boundaries of countries become muddled and often key water supplies like rivers become natural front lines in the conflict. This makes access to some of these rivers incredibly difficult. There’s also the fact that thousands and sometimes millions of people may have to leave their homes and become refugees in another region. How does this new area keep up with the water demands of the sudden new population?

Cause of Water Scarcity #2: Compromised Supply

In the last section, we learned the reasons why the demand for water is increasing. In this section, we learn the reasons why our water supplies are being tainted. We are facing increasing levels of pollution which are leading to dwindling water supplies. Let’s find out what else is compromising our water supply.

• Pollution: Large amounts of our surface water (lakes, rivers, oceans, etc.) are polluted by urban sewage and wastewater, agricultural runoff, and industrial wastewater. In 2000, the US EPA found that 40% of American rivers and 45% of American lakes were polluted. In developing countries, as much as 70% of industrial waste and 80% of sewage is discharged untreated into the water supply. Read more about water pollution here .
• Overuse: Overuse in agricultural is a major source of fresh water scarcity. When farms and fields consume more fresh water than necessary, it reduces the amount of water available for other purposes. Agricultural overuse also adds to pollution, as the runoff from fields and farms carries pollutants like fertilizers and pesticides into nearby rivers, lakes, and streams. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers cause algal blooms in water ecosystems, which deplete the water of oxygen and can kill most life in it. Golf courses are another major contributor to water overuse and pollution in the same way.
• Waste: A lot of fresh water is simply wasted through simple things like excess toilet flushing, inefficient showerheads, and dishwashers, and using water (like pressure washers) to replace sweeping or scrubbing.
• Environmental factors: Deforestation removes trees that protect watersheds and improve water quality. Forests play an important role in the water cycle , by reducing runoff and stabilizing water flows, and helping water return into the atmosphere as clouds. Urban expansion requires roads that increase ambient temperatures, remove native plant species, and increase water runoff.
• Runoff: Runoff is the term for rainwater that falls on land and then flows downstream into the water system. In a natural water cycle, a large percentage of rainwater would be absorbed by the earth, flowing down into the aquifer and replenishing groundwater. Or rainwater would be absorbed by plants in a natural environment, where much of that water would eventually be returned to the atmosphere. However, buildings, roads, and pavement redirect rainwater away from the soil and into drainage systems, preventing it from reaching aquifers or nourishing plants. These processes not only accelerate fresh rainwater along a path to the ocean, reducing our level of readily-available fresh water, but runoff water is often contaminated along the way with urban trash and litter, spills and leaks from cars that leave oil or chemicals on roads and driveways, and chemical runoff from fertilizers and pesticides used in urban lawns, parks, and golf courses. 

So we not only have a global shortage of fresh water, but our habits, lifestyles, and behaviors tend to contaminate the water we do have.

Find out where your water comes from in this article .

Solutions for Water Shortages

However, the situation isn’t as grim as it may seem. There are many ways that we can begin to address global water scarcity and ensure that we have plenty of fresh water now and in the future. The situation is complex, but it isn’t hopeless.

Here are our best water scarcity solutions right now:

• Greywater: We need to reconsider and expand our use of greywater. Greywater is water that has been used domestically, but is not overly polluted with organic contaminants. Greywater isn’t sewage (the water that drains from your house when you flush the toilet) but is the other water that is drained away from a house, including water that has been used for laundry or dishwashing, showers or baths, and sometimes water from cooking (like when you drain pasta). Greywater has tremendous potential to be lightly treated, requiring less processing than sewage, and be reused as water for toilets, farm irrigation, cleaning, radiant heating etc. We do not need to use fresh, potable water for all these purposes, and could develop systems that more efficiently re-use water that has been used once.
• Conservation: From individuals to governments, industry and agriculture, we need to find ways to reduce water consumption. Particularly in the developed world, where fresh water is often taken for granted, we need to rethink our excessive consumption of water and look for ways to use it more wisely.
• Prevent pollution: From urban runoff to the dumping of waste water to excessive use of chemicals and pesticides, we need to prevent pollution of fresh water where possible. We should increase monitoring of water, look for natural alternatives to chemical solutions, and systematically take better care of our water.

Water shortages are pushing many regions to the brink of crisis and may lead to future conflicts and even wars. Water is the most fundamental, essential element of life, and water crisis solutions are desperately needed to ensure peace and prosperity. Solving water shortages requires widespread agreement between people, industries, and governments so that we can all work together globally to preserve and protect our supply of fresh water.

Although fresh water is a limited and finite resource, we do have enough fresh water on earth to meet all our needs for centuries to come, provided we take steps to preserve and protect it. Water scarcity has the power to push us to the brink of terrible conflicts or to unite us with a common bond and sense of purpose. Let’s take advantage of this opportunity to come together before it is too late.

Ever wondered why we can’t just make water in the science lab? We’ve got all the answers here .

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About the Author  James Smith

James is the chief water geek here at TheWaterGeeks.com. His mission is to empower the consumer and allow people to take control of their health. His passion for water health is contagious, hopefully unlike your tap water!

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Nine water scarcity solutions — and why they work

Mar 22, 2024

From what Concern is doing in some of the world’s most water-stressed countries, to what you can do to help, here are nine solutions to the global water crisis.

Last year, UN Water reported on progress towards Sustainable Development Goal No. 6 — clean water and sanitation for all. The prognosis isn’t good for meeting this goal by 2030. 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of whom 733 million live in highly- and critically-stressed countries. However, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t progress being made. To give you a sense of how that progress happens, here are nine water scarcity solutions, and how each of them works in moving us towards clean water for all.

Learn more about Concern's work to make water accessible to all

1. provide clean, safe water to those who need it most.

The simplest solution to water scarcity: Give people water. (Mind-blowing, we know.) Water trucking is one of the quickest short-term solutions to a shortage, whether it’s bringing in water to a refugee camp while infrastructure in the area is improved, or delivering it to communities during a drought. This is an expensive solution and not a long-term fix for a crisis; but it can be a life-saving stop-gap.

While water trucking helps, building and rehabilitating water points in communities is like teaching a person to fish rather than giving them a fish. Sometimes we need to drill for a new water point, analyzing groundwater distribution and soil and rock structure. Sometimes, communities have already dug these wells, and Concern only needs to help with fitting in hand pumps that seal and protect the well — this makes collection easier and water safer. 

In areas where grid power is unreliable (or nonexistent), solutions like solar water pumps are an economically- and ecologically-friendly solution that makes use of the most reliable resource: sunlight. 

2. Protect (or improve) the quality of available water in an area

Often the best-case scenario is that there’s a natural spring in a community. If that’s true, we work with the community to protect the source so it can continue to provide water. Protective structures can keep the land above and around the water source free from human and animal interference and contamination. 

If there’s a source of non-potable water, however, there are still options to improve the quality. Seawater can be desalinated , both at a mass-scale level and individually through portable devices. Likewise, water purification tablets and other methods can be used to kill the microorganisms and pathogens that cause typhoid, cholera , and other waterborne illnesses. 

3. Collect and store rainwater to use later on

One of the lowest-tech and lowest-cost solutions to water scarcity in regions that get enough rainfall is to collect and save that rainwater. A Rainwater Harvesting System does exactly what the name implies: Using a catchment surface when it rains (a specially-prepared and designated area to collect water), we can then collect water for storage and future use. 

The benefits of this, if it’s an area that experiences adequate and reliable rains, are many. Rainwater harvesting generally doesn’t require too much technology to maintain, and is easy for communities to manage. If it’s collected in the right way, rainwater usually needs less processing to make it potable. This may not be the ideal choice for drinking water needs, but it is an excellent backup for agriculture (which takes up a lot of water usage in water-stressed countries), livestock, in schools, and hospitals. 

4. Understand that the impacts of climate change are not going to go away, and build resilience against climate disasters

Climate change is here to stay and will continue to accelerate. Its impacts include water scarcity: For every 1 °C rise, 500 million extra people will face a 20% dip in renewable water resources.

At this point, we cannot undo many of the effects of climate change . However, we can build climate resilience within communities on the frontline of the climate crisis, including strategies that protect their water resources in the face of emergencies. Our work in this area includes watershed management, planting trees and reforesting areas that have been deforested, soil and water conservation, and land rehabilitation.

What we talk about when we talk about resilience

At Concern, “resilience” has a much more specific definition. It’s not something we call people we work with in order to downplay their suffering. It’s something we help them cultivate at a community level.

5. Find more effective ways of using the water we need in our day-to-day lives

Solutions one through five on this list are all examples of the work Concern does with communities that face extreme water scarcity. However, water stewardship is a global responsibility, and we need every community in the world to help. Many of the countries where Concern works are water-stressed, but reports show that future risks for water shortages are not confined to low-income countries or areas around the Equator. 

In Concern’s work with Climate Smart Agriculture , for instance, we use soil coverings to help keep water in the ground longer and protect it from evaporation. But we can all find more effective ways to use the water that fuels our daily routines, whether it’s taking shorter showers, fixing that leak in your kitchen faucet, or investing in a smart sprinkler for your lawn. Changing food habits can impact the amount of water used in agriculture. You can also contact your local and state representatives about larger water issues that affect your community and the world — we will, after all, only solve the water crisis when we adequately value how much water affects our lives.

6. Eliminate water dumping and reduce other pollutive activities and find safe and sustainable ways to recycle wastewater

But we can’t solve the water crisis on our own as individuals. The NRDC estimates that 80% of the world’s wastewater is dumped back into the ecosystem, untreated. Governments and corporations must work together to prioritize ending water dumping and other pollutive activities that contaminate drinking water. This includes corporations based in high-income countries but that outsource production to lower-income countries. Approximately 1 billion people die each year due to water contamination—actions that ban and enforce restrictions on wastewater dumping literally save lives. 

7. Build community focus and ownership around local water systems and resources…

The worst solutions to water stress are those that can’t be taken on by community members after an organization like Concern leaves. No amount of hand pumps or infrastructural improvement are a success if they fall into disrepair after a short time. 

To avoid this problem, Concern invests heavily in working with the community to promote ownership and enhance skills for future management of all programs, including our water, sanitation, and hygiene projects. Establishing Water Management Committees (WMCs) helps to build local representation through elected community members who manage and oversee their local water resources. We also provide training to both WMC members and other community representatives so that they can manage their resources (resources built initially with their input).

8. …while also building local and national capacities to effectively manage water systems…

In fragile states, it’s often the case that there isn’t enough government infrastructure or capacity to deliver WASH services. This is an explanation, but it isn’t an excuse. We can — and must — work with local authorities and national governments to strengthen the capacity they have to ensure their citizens have clean water and access to other hygiene and sanitation necessities. Part of this relies on changing attitudes towards the value of water and the true cost of pollution. 

In 2021, UN Water identified 107 countries not on track to have sustainably managed water resources by 2030. The current rate of progress needs to be doubled in order to meet this goal.

9. …and fostering international cooperation around shared water resources

It doesn’t stop at the national level. Establishing a common language around and prioritization of water quality has to happen at an international level, as many rivers, lakes, and aquifers cross international borders and are shared between nations. 

In the same 2021 UN Water report, only 24 countries reported that all rivers, lakes, and aquifers shared with neighboring countries are covered by operational arrangements for cooperation. That's less than 1/5 of the way towards the Sustainable Development Goal target.

Can we solve the global water crisis?

As of 2022, none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are on track to be met by 2030. However, that doesn’t mean that the cause is hopeless. The UN reports that, since 2015, over 600 million people have gained access to safely-managed drinking water. Globally, three out of four people had safe drinking water in 2020. In that time, water-use efficiency has increased 10% globally. 

These are great steps, but at our current rate, progress is still behind. You can help take a stand by understanding how much water you use at home and finding ways of reducing it where possible. You can also learn more about the issues both within your own community and in other communities around the world — if your hometown has a sister city, that’s a good place to start — and advocate your local representatives to take greater and bolder action towards ending water scarcity around the world. 

You can also support organizations like Concern to ensure that water, sanitation and hygiene services reach those who need it most. All of these actions may seem like drops in the bucket, but those drops add up.

The global water crisis: Concern’s response

Ensuring access to clean water and sanitation and providing hygiene information and training are key aspects of Concern’s work, with active water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs in 18 countries. We have dug, drilled, and bored thousands of wells in remote and vulnerable communities across dozens of countries, and built countless latrines in their schools and health centers. The hours saved and the illnesses prevented make it one of the most effective things we do. 

When drought or displacement prevent access to clean water supplies, we do what it takes to connect communities, including trucking water to temporary tanks and installing pumps in camps. We work hand-in-hand with communities to help them assess the longstanding challenges they face, change behaviors, and ensure water and sanitation infrastructure will be maintained for the long term. And we foster a sense of ownership, build sustainable maintenance practices, and create transparent financial management systems that benefit the community.

One example of our approach can be seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo , where Concern has been the lead partner in a consortium that has already achieved some extraordinary results. Over the course of six years, our teams worked closely with 600 of the country’s most isolated communities to help them achieve sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions. The program reached over 650,000 people. 

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Water Shortage: Causes, Effects and Various Solutions

To emphasize the severity of water shortages both locally and on a global scale, it is necessary to inform the public of this startling statistic. Every continent around the world is affected, not just those regions that are traditionally dry.

At least two billion people are affected for at least one month of the year, and more than 1 billion people have no access to clean drinking or potable water.

Here is an extension of what water shortages entail and what it means to be without it.

• There is a lack of necessary resources to meet current needs
• Water shortages are also known as –  water scarcity , water stress, water crisis
• Apart from the lack of resources, there is difficulty in obtaining access to freshwater
• Due to the lack of resources and access to water, further deterioration of existing resources occurs
• Due to dry weather conditions, further depletion occurs
• Pertinently, water shortages refer to regions’ existing unpolluted water being far less than its demand
• A distinction needs to be made between what is in demand and what is reasonably needed

Clean water has become like a luxury for people in places like sub-Saharan Africa. Most people spend the entire day searching for it, which limits their ability to try to their hand in some other things.

By 2025, projections show that the situation may worsen, with more than two-thirds of the  world’s population  predicted to be within odds of facing water shortages.

Wikipedia defines water shortage as,

“ Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet water needs within a region. It affects every continent and around 2.8 billion people around the world at least one month out of every year. More than 1.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. Water scarcity involves water stress, water shortage or deficits, and water crisis. “

Perhaps you’re wondering, “Why all this problem when almost three quarters if the earth is covered by water?”

Well, it’s simple.

While about 70% of the Earth is covered with water, as we already know, only 2.5-3% of this water is fresh. The rest of the water is salty and ocean-based.

Of that 3% freshwater, two-thirds is trapped in glaciers and snowfields and unavailable for our use. The remaining one-third of that freshwater is available for human consumption and to feed the entire population on this planet.

As a result, freshwater – which is the water that we drink, take a bath with, and perform the majority of other home chores – is rare and makes up a very small fraction of all water on the planet – maybe 1% of Earth’s water or even less!

Hence, the global problem of water shortages needs to be highlighted and re-emphasized over and over again until such time that everyone is fully aware of this and does their part to responsibly  save water , even in areas where it is perceived that there are already sufficient supplies of water.

To further the cause of this awareness, this short but extensive article provides readers with an informative but easy-to-understand explanation of what water shortage entails.

It begins by describing what is meant by water shortage. It then moves on to highlight the critical causes of this. Following that, to highlight the need to move towards conserving water, it features some of the effects and severe consequences of water shortages. Ending the article on a positive note, solutions to addressing these shortfalls are highlighted. The structure of this note is more informational than anything else.

Motivations for curbing excessive water use occur on a daily basis. Helping to raise awareness also means educating the public by dispensing important information.

Some of the Main Causes of Water Shortage

Environmentalists and small-scale activists these days have field days naming  global warming  and  climate change  as the root cause of the world’s water shortages. But this analogy is not entirely correct.

What also needs to be examined is what is  causing global warming  and the current  climate crisis  today. This next list highlights the main causes of water shortages around the globe.

• Excess and unnecessary demands outstrip available and scarce resources.
• Increased pollution due to excessive and unsustainable human consumption. The past 100 years have seen incredible growth in the human population due to medical advances that have prolonged life and improved mortality rates and agricultural improvements that have increased the food supply. In 1800, there were only one billion people on earth, and it is nearly 8 billion in 2020.
• There is an overuse of water across the board and in all forms of industrial processes. Overuse in agriculture is a major source of freshwater shortage as it reduces the amount of water available for other purposes. Agricultural overuse also adds to pollution, as the runoff from fields and farms carries pollutants like fertilizers and pesticides into nearby rivers, lakes, and streams.
• Non-sustainable domestic practices include leaving taps running when water is not needed . The use of inefficient showerheads, dishwashers, and pressure washers to replace sweeping or scrubbing need to be stopped.
• Unlimited household cleaning and sanitation is simply a waste of freshwater. While we all need water to bathe ourselves and keep our bodies clean, we also use water to wash clothes, dishes, floors, and household surfaces and utensils. In communities with flushing toilets, we use liters of water every time we use the bathroom.
• Increased urbanization is another reason. In 1950, 30% of the world’s population lived in cities. By 2050, it’s expected to be nearly 70%. Cities themselves consume water, and as they grow, they consume more.
• Economic scarcity caused by poor or lack of management of existing water resources.
• Uneven distribution of water resources – regions with excess supplies do not divert resources to areas where they are needed more.
• Aquifers over-pumped and not re-charging quickly enough.
• Pollution remains one of the biggest drivers of water scarcity. Sadly, most governments around the globe don’t do nearly enough to penalize industrial use companies that illegally dump chemicals and oils into stressed water systems.
• Land restrictions . Lack of access to land presents challenges of conflict where many people are restricted or denied access to land, whether privately or government-owned, and on which precious water resources may be found.
• The challenge of distance remains acute in some parts of the world where regions have historically experienced dry climates and have had to rely on neighboring countries to supply them.
• Global climate change due to deforestation is impacting freshwater supplies everywhere . Higher temperatures mean reduced snowfalls and shrinking glaciers, as well as increasing the percentage of freshwater evaporation. The quantity of water in our rivers, aquifers, and watersheds is simply reducing.
• The increased competition for freshwater often unintentionally causes water shortage. Cities like Las Vegas and Dubai were founded in areas with natural water scarcity. The Colorado River once ran to the Gulf of California, supplying fresh water for downriver needs in Arizona and California, but now it seldom reaches the gulf at all. As Las Vegas consumes more water ever, the downriver communities, wildlife habitats , and industries are impacted, and this kind of competition is playing out in hundreds of climates, countries, and communities all over the world.
• War and conflict are often overlooked factors that affect access to water supplies. In times of war, the boundaries of countries become muddled and often key water supplies like rivers become natural front lines in the conflict. This makes access to some of these rivers incredibly difficult. Thousands and sometimes millions of people may have to leave their homes and become refugees in another region, generating a water shortage for this sudden new population.

Effects and Severe Consequences of Water Shortages

To emphasize the severity of water shortages, it is incumbent to highlight some of the many effects and consequences of this. This list is as broad-based as it can be right now, from chronicling how it impacts domestic life to the global picture referred to as a tipping point when seen in relation to rising temperatures.

• The biggest problem that happens when you have a water shortage is the lack of access to drinking water. People are not able to get fresh, clean drinking water. The human body can hardly survive so long without water, and a lack of drinking water can result in a number of other problems.
• If there is no water to water the crop, people will soon face the hunger problem. Animals will also die, which will result in a lack of meat as well. Water shortage, in short, causes starvation to occur en masse for both people and animals that are located in the area.
• Poorer communities and informal settlements still lack access to potable water systems.
• Water restrictions imposed across the board.
• Negative impact on greening and  domestic gardening  initiatives due to water restrictions.
• Increased fire hazards.
• Polluted river beds and lakes harm  ecosystems , including  flora and fauna .
• Water tariffs and/or prices increased across the board.
• Particularly in drought-stricken areas, farmers are unable to produce vital crops.
• Due to  extensive over-pollution , ice glaciers melt and contribute towards rising sea levels and/or temperatures.
• A global increase in temperatures further exacerbates water shortages.
• Mainly due to both lack of access and poverty, the disease is the sum consequence. Clean water is needed to revive and sustain the human body, while polluted river beds near informal settlements are the breeding ground for malevolent diseases.
• Added to this severe lack of water resources comes the problem of basic sanitation needs being exacerbated. Since we need water for several tasks of our daily life, without having access to clean water for drinking, cooking, washing or bathing, it usually results in unhygienic conditions for people and diseases become much more of an issue than it would have been otherwise. It also causes mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
• A lack of education and access to all other areas of life has also been added as severe consequences to not having access to water.
• Water shortage also leads to problems such as migration waves, destruction of habitat and loss of biodiversity. Animals, plants and even humans that no longer be able to get enough water may therefore have to move to other regions or die or become extinct.

Solutions to the Problem of Water Shortage

The good news is that there are always solutions to our problems. And of course, the most effective remedy to our water shortage is efficient use of what’s already there. The less water that is used and the more water that is saved will go a long way towards addressing the current shortages.

But for solutions to be effective, they need to be implemented vigilantly and even through regulation. This next list considers both practical solutions and those being implemented in different parts of the world.

• Do not keep taps running while water is not needed. For instance, switch the tap off while brushing teeth.
• Only use what is needed resourcefull. For example, when washing dishes, make sure that the sink is full.
• Obey water restrictions enforced. For example, do not use the hosepipe while washing the car.
• Increased water tariffs where appropriate. This can make consumers more budget conscious and deter them from using water excessively.
• Sustainable home living  needs to be practice d. For instance, take short showers instead of long baths.
• Recycle used water as much as possible.
• More stringent regulation of industrial processes is required.
• Organic consumption across the board needs to be encouraged and prioritized. Organic production and consumption processes invariably lead to less water being used.
• More stringent mining regulations. Mining legislation and fracking need to be revisited and taken more seriously by governments to reduce water pollution emanating from the activity.
• Sensitize the people on the current problem and the importance of good water use practices. Education from the ground up right through to the highest levels, both government and corporate, are needed to raise awareness of the dire consequences of abusing scarce resources.
• Bring everyone into the equation. More active involvement at the NGO level, from the smallest contribution to a progressive and professional role, is required from more people.
• More  sustainable farming practices  need to be encouraged.
• Proper leveraging of tachnology. Taking advantage of improved and advanced technologies to provide communities and cities with clean water is required.
• Clean water initiatives, usually promoted by NGOs and other active role-players, need to be supported and funded.
• Of great importance is the need to repair and improve existing sewerage systems.
• Embrace reuse where appropriate. Greywater that has been used domestically for laundry or dishwashing, showers or baths, and sometimes water from cooking (like when you drain pasta), but is not overly polluted with organic contaminants and sewage, has tremendous potential to be lightly treated, requiring less processing than sewage, and be reused as water for toilets, farm irrigation, cleaning, radiant heating etc. We do not need to use fresh, potable water for all these purposes, and could develop systems that more efficiently reuse water that has been used once.
• Conservation of water and reducing water consumption from individuals to governments, industry and agriculture. Particularly in the developed world, where freshwater is often taken for granted, we need to rethink our excessive consumption of water and look for ways to use it more wisely.
• Prevention of pollution of freshwater where possible from urban runoff to the dumping of wastewater to excessive use of chemicals and pesticides . We should increase the monitoring of water, look for natural alternatives to chemical solutions, and systematically take better care of our water.

By now, if you weren’t aware before, you may now know just how critical our global water shortages are. We’ve done our part to present you with a more informational guide on what water shortage, in essence, means while others make more persuasive arguments on the side of  water conservation . To follow up on our introductory description, we went on to mention some of the causes and effects/consequences of water shortages.

We had to close our article on a positive note. This proved encouraging. All we did was list just a number of solutions towards addressing the water crises. And it all started right with you in the home. This was done deliberately to show you just how easy it can be to do your part in reversing a global water shortage.

About Rinkesh

A true environmentalist by heart ❤️. Founded Conserve Energy Future with the sole motto of providing helpful information related to our rapidly depleting environment. Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable planet, do remember that there really is no 'Planet B' in this whole universe.

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108 Water Scarcity Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best water scarcity topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 good research topics about water scarcity, 🔎 interesting topics to write about water scarcity, ❓ research questions about water scarcity.

• Water Scarcity as a Global Issue: Causes and Solutions Common causes of water scarcity include overpopulation e in regions that have limited water resources, global warming, destruction of water catchment areas by human activities, and pollution of water sources.
• The Flint Water Crisis From Marxist Perspective To understand the causes of the crisis and ways to prevent such problems in the future, it is possible to employ the Marxist approach.
• The Himalayan Melting Glacier Contribution to Water Scarcity in Mount Everest Planetary phenomena such as the tilt of the Earth, its distance from the Sun, temperature, and atmospheric cycles belong to the first category.
• America’s Growing Clean Water Crisis and the Resulting Diseases The current water crisis in Flint, Michigan, has focused a lot of attention on the state of water infrastructure. Lastly, there will be a not adequate amount of water to help in dissolving the nutrients […]
• Factors of the Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan The factors that caused the water crisis in this city can be considered negligence of the authorities, ambiguous and contradictory instructions of environmental protection agencies, and corruption.
• Environmental Racism: The Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan The situation is a manifestation of environmental racism and classism since most of the city’s population is people of color and poor. Thus, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, is a manifestation of environmental racism […]
• Flint Water Crisis: Municipal Water Supply System The city of Flint was a thriving industrial center in the third quarter of the last century; however, it had economic difficulties due to the closure of several General Motors factories in the 1980s and […]
• The Flint Water Crisis and Its Impact The contaminated water has lead to a number of diseases and disabilities, which, in turn, has left the city’s population with a large number of healthcare bills. In conclusion, the Flint Water Crisis is an […]
• Water Scarcity in Africa and Mental Disorders Partially, the reason for the lack of meaningful changes in the policies preventing the causes lies in the social stigma towards patients with mental problems.
• Flint Water Crisis: Environmental Racism and Racial Capitalism The Flint crisis is a result of the neoliberal approach of the local state as opposed to the typical factors of environmental injustice; a polluter or a reckless emitter cutting costs. The two main factors […]
• Water Scarcity Problem in Sub-Saharan Africa Since the world has water in abundance, it is necessary that more be done to address the shortage of clean water.
• Newark Water Crisis: Water Pollution Problem The main problem was rooted in the fact that lead levels in the drinking water were highly elevated, which is dangerous and detrimental to the population’s health.
• Water Scarcity: Industrial Projects of Countries That Affect the External Environment With the demise of the Yellow River in China, the government started a project to transfer water from the Yangtze River to the northern plains of the country to support farming activities.
• Jordan’s Water Crisis and Response In particular, the facts about enmity with Israel exacerbate the local political situation, and in the face of the shortage of this valuable natural resource, the struggle for control over the Dead Sea becomes fiercer.
• Baja California Water Crisis and Its Impact The brewery that is being constructed near the cities of Mexicali and Gallegos by a large corporation is the example of the fact that the situation tends to worsen.
• How Saudi Arabia Can Overcome Economic Water Crisis? In Saudi Arabia, the water sector has undergone significant transformation as the government tries to mitigate water crisis. The problem of the economic water crisis in Saudi Arabia cannot be attributed only to natural causes.
• Water Crisis Resolution and Investments Based on the factors mentioned above, it could be said that the primary goal of the paper is to discuss the issue of the water crisis, as it is of paramount importance for the survival […]
• Water Crisis, Oceans and Sea Turtles Issues In the case of Mexico, it appears that the past regimes have never put a lot of focus on the utilization of water resources.
• Water Scarcity, Marketing, and Privatisation In a quick rejoinder, the report by the UNEP, excessive pumping of water from rivers and lakes to support agriculture threatens to dry up water sources.
• Blue Gold: Global Water Crisis The issue of water is a global affair because of the alarming rate at which limited fresh water reservoirs is depleted. Globally, the amount of fresh water is dropping and it is believed that fresh […]
• Scarcity of Water in Saudi Arabia, Africa and Australia Moreover, the destruction of forests, the destruction of water catchments, and the pollution of fresh water sources have also played together in contributing to the reduction of water resources.
• Trend Analysis: Water Scarcity Issue This is a worrying aspect for the scarcity of water will lead to greater conflict for water. As agriculture is the sector that uses maximum water resources, with increase in population will face a dual […]
• Pesticide Usage and Water Scarcity Water management is a tool for every person to reduce the water shortage. Increase in water price is likely to reduce the consumption as this reduces water wastage.
• Water Crisis in UAE Ali comments that “the consumption level of water exceeds the available sources” while Boberg asserts that “water is one of the resources that is scarce” made an analysis of the water crisis in UAE based […]
• Can Virtual Water ‘Trade’ Reduce Water Scarcity in Semi-Arid Countries? The Case of Spain
• Water Stress, Water Transfer and Social Equity in Northern China: Implications for Policy Reforms
• Climate Change, Water Scarcity in Agriculture and the Economy-Wide Impacts in a CGE Framework
• Global Water Crisis and Future Food Security in an Era of Climate Change
• Economic and Social Impacts of the Water Crisis
• Rainfall and Human Density and Its Implications for Future Water Stress in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Water Management From Tradition to Second Modernity: An Analysis of the Water Crisis in Iran
• Creative and Innovative Solutions to Water Scarcity
• The Flint Water Crisis and Global Warming
• Electricity Prices, River Temperatures, and Cooling Water Scarcity
• Assessing the Economic Impact of North China’s Water Scarcity Mitigation Strategy
• Deficit Irrigation Under Water Stress and Salinity Conditions: The MOPECO-Salt Model
• Soil Water Content Criteria for Peach Trees Water Stress Detection During the Postharvest Period
• Future Water Scarcity in Computable General Equilibrium Models
• Using Radiation Thermography and Thermometry to Evaluate Crop Water Stress in Soybean and Cotton
• Coping With Water Scarcity: The Governance Challenge
• Estimating the Causal Effect of Water Scarcity on the Groundwater Use Efficiency of Rice Farming in South India
• Instruments for Understanding Agricultural Household Adaptation to Climate Change: Water Stress and Variability
• China’s Regional Water Scarcity and Implications for Grain Supply and Trade
• Environmental and Resource Costs Under Water Scarcity Conditions
• Relationships Between Normalized Leaf Water Potential and Crop Water Stress Index Values for Acala Cotton
• Australian Water Crisis for Demand and Supply
• Spinach Biomass Yield and Physiological Response to Interactive Salinity and Water Stress
• Clean Water Scarcity, Its Policy, and Conservation Measures
• Preventing the Last Drop: Facing the Water Crisis
• Water Scarcity and Its Effects on the Environment
• Drought and Water Scarcity Management Policy in England and Wales
• Food Security for Sub-Saharan Africa: Does Water Scarcity Limit the Options?
• Beyond Water Stress: Structural Adjustment and Macroeconomic Consequences of the Emerging Water Scarcity
• Groundwater Pollution and Drinking Water Scarcity
• Addressing China’s Water Scarcity: Recommendations for Selected Water Resource Management Issues
• Dealing With Water Scarcity: Need for Economy-Wide Considerations and Institutions
• Groundwater Markets Under the Water Scarcity and Declining Water Table Conditions
• Does Water Scarcity Shift the Electricity Generation Mix Toward Fossil Fuels? Empirical Evidence From the United States
• Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Adaptation in the U.S. Fieldcrop Sector
• Evaluating the Crop Water Stress Index and Its Correlation With Latent Heat and CO2 Fluxes
• Water Crisis in India – Side Effect of Climate Change
• Local Water Stress Impacts on Global Supply Chains: Network Configuration and Natural Capital Perspectives
• Water Scarcity and the Impact of the Mining and Agricultural Sectors in Chile
• Land Use, Water Rights, and Water Scarcity in Manupali Watershed, Southern Philippines
• Farm Households’ Resilience Scale Under Water Scarcity
• Agriculture, Population, Land and Water Scarcity in a Changing World – The Role of Irrigation
• Water Scarcity – Future Uses and Implications for Policy
• Potential Benefits From Innovations to Reduce Heat and Water Stress in Agriculture
• Whole-Plant Metabolic Allocation Under Water Stress
• Iran’s Water Crisis: Inducers, Challenges, and Countermeasures
• Grape Composition under Abiotic Constraints: Water Stress and Salinity
• Interaction Between Light and Water Stress in Plants
• Causes Implications and Intervention Strategies: Water Scarcity
• Water Scarcity: Economic Approaches To Improving Management
• Which Country Suffers the Most From Water Scarcity?
• How Is Water Pollution and Water Scarcity Related in India?
• What Are the Characteristics of Water Scarcity?
• Does Water Scarcity Shift the Electricity Generation Mix Toward Fossil Fuels?
• Why Do So Many Countries Face Water Scarcity?
• What Is the Difference Between Water Stress and Water Scarcity?
• How Has Globalization Impacted Water Scarcity?
• Will Growing More Trees Help in Solving the Water Scarcity Problem?
• Is Water Scarcity a Growing Problem in the World?
• What Caused Water Scarcity in Australia?
• How Will Businesses Take Advantage of the Impending Water Scarcity?
• Can the Desalination Technics Definitively Solve the Water Scarcity Issue?
• How Can the Problem of Water Scarcity in the Hilly Region Be Solved?
• What Is the Nature of China’s Water Scarcity Problems?
• Has Any Country Overcome Water Scarcity Since 2000?
• Is Water Scarcity Directly Related to Energy Demand?
• What Are the Steps Taken by Governments to Solve the Water Scarcity Problem?
• How Should We Address the Worldwide Problem of Water Scarcity?
• Can a Wet Country Like Scotland Face Water Scarcity?
• Will Drought and Water Scarcity in India Become Serious Issues?
• Are There Any Steps Taken to Escape the Severe Water Scarcity in the Future?
• How Does Water Scarcity Affect People Around the World?
• What Is the Difference Between Physical Water Scarcity and Economic Water Scarcity?
• Can a Nuclear Fallout Cause Water Scarcity?
• How Does Water Scarcity Affect Poverty?
• Will House Prices Go Down in Bangalore in Coming Years Due to Water Scarcity?
• How Does Water Scarcity Affect Animals?
• What Is the Economic Impact of Drinking Water Scarcity in India?
• Are Solutions to Water Scarcity in the UK Environmental or Technological?
• How Is Water Scarcity Affecting the United States?
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• Published: 03 August 2021

Future global urban water scarcity and potential solutions

• Chunyang He   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8440-5536 1 , 2 ,
• Zhifeng Liu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4087-0743 1 , 2 ,
• Jianguo Wu   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1182-3024 1 , 2 , 3 ,
• Xinhao Pan 1 , 2 ,
• Zihang Fang 1 , 2 ,
• Jingwei Li 4 &
• Brett A. Bryan   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4834-5641 5  

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• Environmental sciences
• Water resources

Urbanization and climate change are together exacerbating water scarcity—where water demand exceeds availability—for the world’s cities. We quantify global urban water scarcity in 2016 and 2050 under four socioeconomic and climate change scenarios, and explored potential solutions. Here we show the global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to increase from 933 million (one third of global urban population) in 2016 to 1.693–2.373 billion people (one third to nearly half of global urban population) in 2050, with India projected to be most severely affected in terms of growth in water-scarce urban population (increase of 153–422 million people). The number of large cities exposed to water scarcity is projected to increase from 193 to 193–284, including 10–20 megacities. More than two thirds of water-scarce cities can relieve water scarcity by infrastructure investment, but the potentially significant environmental trade-offs associated with large-scale water scarcity solutions must be guarded against.

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Introduction.

The world is rapidly urbanizing. From 1950 to 2020, the global population living in cities increased from 0.8 billion (29.6%) to 4.4 billion (56.2%) and is projected to reach 6.7 billion (68.4%) by 2050 1 . Water scarcity—where demand exceeds availability—is a key determinant of water security and directly affects the health and wellbeing of urban residents, urban environmental quality, and socioeconomic development 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 . At present, many of the world’s urban populations face water scarcity 3 . Population growth, urbanization, and socioeconomic development are expected to increase urban industrial and domestic water demand by 50–80% over the next three decades 4 , 7 . In parallel, climate change will affect the spatial distribution and timing of water availability 8 , 9 . As a result, urban water scarcity is likely to become much more serious in the future 10 , 11 , 12 , potentially compromising the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation 13 , 14 .

Urban water scarcity has typically been addressed via engineering and infrastructure. Reservoirs are commonly used to store water during periods of excess availability and continuously supply water to cities to avoid water shortages during dry periods 15 . Desalination plants are increasingly used to solve water deficit problems for coastal cities 16 . For cities where local water resources cannot meet demand, inter-basin water transfer can also be an effective solution 17 (Supplementary Table  8 ). However, investment in water infrastructure is costly; requires substantial human, energy, and material resources; is limited by natural conditions such as geographic location and topography; and may have very significant environmental impacts 2 , 3 , 18 . Hence, a comprehensive understanding of water scarcity and the potential solutions for the world’s cities is urgently required to promote more sustainable and livable urban futures 7 , 18 , 19 .

Previous studies have evaluated urban water scarcity 2 , 3 , 7 , 19 (Supplementary Table  3 ). However, these studies have been limited in a number of ways including: assessing only a subset of the urban population (e.g., large cities only or regional in focus); considering only part of the water scarcity problem (i.e., availability but not withdrawal); or lacking a future perspective. For example, in assessing global urban water scarcity, Flörke et al. 7 considered 482 cities (accounting for just 26% of the global urban population) under a business-as-usual scenario, and while McDonald et al. 2 assessed a larger range of cities and scenarios, they considered water availability only, not withdrawals. As a result, significant uncertainty in estimates of current and future extent of urban water-scarcity remain, varying from 0.2 to 1 billion people affected in 2000 and from 0.5 to 4 billion in 2050 (Supplementary Table  4 ). A comprehensive assessment of global urban water scarcity is needed to identify cities at risk and provide better estimates of the number of people affected.

In addition, although many studies have discussed potential solutions to urban water scarcity, few have investigated the feasibility of these solutions for water-scarce cities at the global scale. Proposed solutions include groundwater exploitation, seawater desalination, increased water storage in reservoirs, inter-basin water transfer, improved water-use efficiency, and urban landscape management 2 , 3 , 14 , 19 . However, the potential effectiveness of these solutions for the world’s water-scarce cities depends on many factors including the severity of water scarcity, urban and regional geography and hydrogeology, socio-economic characteristics, and environmental carrying capacity 7 , 20 . Pairing the identification of water scarce cities with an evaluation of potential solutions is essential for guiding investment in future urban water security.

In this study, we comprehensively assessed global urban water scarcity in 2016 and 2050 and the feasibility of potential solutions for water-scarce cities. We first quantified the spatial patterns of the global urban population for 2016 at a grid-cell resolution of 1 km 2 by integrating spatial urban land-use and population data. We then identified water-scarce areas at the catchment scale by combining global water resource availability and demand data, and calculated the global urban population in water-scarce areas in 2016. We also quantified the global urban population in water-scarce areas for 2050 under four socioeconomic and climate change scenarios by combining modeled projections of global urban area, population, and water availability and demand. Finally, we evaluated the feasibility of seven major solutions for easing water scarcity for each affected city. We discuss the implications of the results for mitigating global urban water scarcity and improving the sustainability and livability of the world’s cities.

Current urban water scarcity

Globally, 933 million (32.5%) urban residents lived in water-scarce regions in 2016 (Table  1 , Fig.  1b ) with 359 million (12.5%) and 573 million (20.0%) experiencing perennial and seasonal water scarcity, respectively. India (222 million) and China (159 million) had the highest urban populations facing water scarcity (Table  1 , Fig.  1c ).

a spatial patterns of large cities in water-scarce areas (cities with population above 10 million in 2016 were labeled). b Water-scarce urban population at the global scale. c Water-scarce urban population at the national scale (10 countries with the largest values were listed). Please refer to Supplementary Data for urban water scarcity in each catchment.

Of the world’s 526 large cities (i.e., population >1 million), 193 (36.7%) were located in water-scarce regions (96 perennial, 97 seasonal) (Fig.  1a ). Of the 30 megacities (i.e., population >10 million), 9 (30.0%) were located in water-scarce regions (Table  2 ). Six of these, including Los Angeles, Moscow, Lahore, Delhi, Bangalore, and Beijing, were located in regions with perennial water scarcity and three (Mexico City, Istanbul, and Karachi) were seasonally water-scarce (Fig.  1a ).

Urban water scarcity in 2050

At the global scale, the urban population facing water scarcity was projected to increase rapidly, reaching 2.065 (1.693–2.373) billion people by 2050, a 121.3% (81.5–154.4%) increase from 2016 (Table  1 , Fig.  2a ). 840 (476–905) million people were projected to face perennial water scarcity and 1.225 (0.902–1.647) billion were projected to face seasonal water scarcity (Table  1 ). India’s urban population growth in water-scarce regions was projected to be much higher than other countries (Fig.  2b ), increasing from 222 million people to 550 (376–644) million people in 2050 and accounting for 26.7% (19.2%–31.2%) of the world’s urban population facing water scarcity (Table  1 ).

a Changes in water-scarce urban population at the global scale. Bars present the simulated results using the ensemble mean of runoff from GCMs, the total values (i.e., perennial and seasonal), and percentages are labeled. Crosses (gray/black) present the simulated results (total/perennial) using runoff from each GCM. b Changes in water-scarce urban population at the national scale (10 countries with the largest values were listed). Bars present the total values simulated using the ensemble mean of runoff from GCMs. Crosses present the total values simulated using runoff from each GCM. Please refer to Supplementary Data for urban water scarcity in each catchment.

Nearly half of the world’s large cities were projected to be located in water-scarce regions by 2050 (Fig.  3 , Supplementary Fig.  3 ). The number of large cities facing water scarcity under at least one scenario was projected to increase to 292 (55.5%) by 2050. The number of megacities facing water scarcity under at least one scenario was projected to increase to 19 (63.3%) including 10 new megacities (i.e., Cairo, Dhaka, Jakarta, Lima, Manila, Mumbai, New York, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, and Tianjin) (Table  2 ).

Only the water-scarce cities are listed. Cities with a population >10 million in 2016 are labeled.

Factors influencing urban water scarcity

Growth in urban population and water demand will be the main factor contributing to the increase in urban water scarcity (Fig.  4 ). From 2016 to 2050, population growth, urbanization, and socioeconomic development were projected to increase water demand and contribute to an additional 0.990 (0.829–1.135) billion people facing urban water scarcity, accounting for 87.5% (80.4–91.4%) of the total increase. Climate change was projected to alter water availability and increase the urban population subject to water scarcity by 52 (−72–229) million, accounting for 4.6% (−9.0–18.4%) of the total increase.

Bars present the simulated results using the ensemble mean of runoff from GCMs, crosses present the simulated results using runoff from each GCM.

Potential solutions to urban water scarcity

Water scarcity could be relieved for 276 (94.5%) large cities, including 17 (89.5%) megacities, via the measures assessed (Table  3 , Supplementary Table  5 ). Among these, 260 (89.0%) cities have the option of implementing two or more measures. For example, Los Angeles can adopt desalination, groundwater exploitation, inter-basin water transfer, and/or virtual water trade (Table  3 ). However, 16 large cities, including two megacities (i.e., Delhi and Lahore) in India and Pakistan, are restricted by geography and economic development levels, making it difficult to adopt any of the potential water scarcity solutions (Table  3 ).

Domestic virtual water trade was the most effective solution, which could alleviate water scarcity for 208 (71.2%) large cities (including 14 (73.7%) megacities). Inter-basin water transfer could be effective for 200 (68.5%) large cities (including 14 (73.7%) megacities). Groundwater exploitation could be effective for 192 (65.8%) large cities (including 11 (57.9%) megacities). International water transfer and virtual water trade showed potential for 190 (65.1%) large cities (including 10 (52.6%) megacities). Reservoir construction could relieve water scarcity for 151 (51.7%) large cities (including 10 (52.6%) megacities). Seawater desalination has the potential to relieve water scarcity for 146 (50.0%) large cities (including 12 (63.2%) megacities). In addition, water scarcity for 68 (23.3%) large cities, including five megacities (i.e., New York, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Dhaka, and Jakarta), could be solved via the water-use efficiency improvements, slowed population growth rate, and climate change mitigation measures considered under SSP1&RCP2.6.

We have provided a comprehensive evaluation of current and future global urban water scarcity and the feasibility of potential solutions for water-scarce cities. We found that the global urban population facing water scarcity was projected to double from 933 million (33%) in 2016 to 1.693–2.373 billion (35–51%) in 2050, and the number of large cities facing water scarcity under at least one scenario was projected to increase from 193 (37%) to 292 (56%). Among these cities, 276 large cities (95%) can address water scarcity through improving water-use efficiency, limiting population growth, and mitigating climate change under SSP1&RCP2.6; or via seawater desalination, groundwater exploitation, reservoir construction, interbasin water transfer, or virtual water trade. However, no solutions were available to relieve water scarcity for 16 large cities (5%), including two megacities (i.e., Delhi and Lahore) in India and Pakistan.

Previous studies have estimated the global urban population facing water scarcity to be between 150 and 810 million people in 2000, between 320 and 650 million people in 2010, and increasing to 0.479–1.445 billion people by 2050 (Supplementary Table  4 ). Our estimates of 933 million people in 2016 facing urban water scarcity, increasing to 1.693–2.373 billion people by 2050, are substantially higher than previously reported (Supplementary Fig.  5a ). This difference is attributed to the fact that we evaluated the exposure of all urban dwellers rather than just those living in large cities (Supplementary Table  3 ). According to United Nations census data, 42% of the world’s urban population lives in small cities with a total population of <300,000 (Supplementary Fig.  4 ). Therefore, it is difficult to fully understand the global urban water scarcity only by evaluating the exposure of large cities. This study makes up for this deficiency and provides a comprehensive assessment of global urban water scarcity.

In addition, we used spatially corrected urban population data, newly released water demand/availability data, simulated runoff from GCMs in the most recent CMIP6 database, catchment-based estimation approach covering the upstream impacts on downstream water availability, and the new scenario framework combining socioeconomic development and climate change. Such data and methods can reduce the uncertainty in the spatial distribution of urban population and water demand/availability in the future, providing a more reliable assessment of global urban water scarcity.

Our projections suggest that global urban water scarcity will continue to intensify from 2016 to 2050 under all scenarios. By 2050, near half of the global urban population was projected to live in water-scarce regions (Figs.  2 ,  3 ). This will directly threaten the realization of SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation . Although 95% of water-scarce cities can address the water crisis via improvement of water-use efficiency, seawater desalination, groundwater exploitation, reservoir construction, interbasin water transfer, or virtual water trade (Supplementary Table  5 ), these measures will not only have transformative impacts on society and the economy, but will also profoundly affect the natural environment. For example, the construction of reservoirs and inter-basin water transfer may cause irreversible damage to river ecosystems and hydrogeology and change the regional climate 4 , 15 , 17 , 21 , 22 . Desalination can have serious impacts on coastal zones and marine ecosystems 16 , 23 . Virtual water trade will affect regional economies, increase transport sector greenhouse gas emissions, and may exacerbate social inequality and affect the local environments where goods are produced 19 , 24 .

Water scarcity solutions may not be available to all cities. The improvement of water-use efficiency as well as other measures require the large-scale construction of water infrastructure, rapid development of new technologies, and large economic investment, which are difficult to achieve in low- and middle-income countries by 2050 14 . In addition, there will be 16 large cities, such as Delhi and Lahore, that cannot effectively solve the water scarcity problem via these measures (Supplementary Table  5 ). These cities also face several socioeconomic and environmental issues such as poverty, rapid population growth, and overextraction and pollution of groundwater 25 , 26 , which will further affect the achievement of SDG1 No Poverty , SDG3 Good Health and Well-being , SDG10 Reduced Inequalities , SDG14 Life below Water and SDG15 Life on Land .

To address global urban water scarcity and realize the SDGs, four directions are suggested. We need to:

Promote water conservation and reduce water demand. Our assessment provides evidence that the proposed water conservation efforts under SSP1&RCP2.6 are effective, which results in the least water-scarce urban population (34–241 million fewer compared to other SSPs&RCPs) at the global scale and can mitigate water scarcity for 68 (23.3%) large cities. The application of emerging water-saving technologies and the construction of sponge cities, smart cities, low-carbon cities, and resilient cities as well as the development of new theories and methods such as landscape sustainability science, watershed science, and geodesign will also play an important role for the further water demand reduction 5 , 6 , 27 , 28 , 29 . To implement these measures, the cooperation and efforts of scientists, policy makers and the public, as well as sufficient financial and material support are required. In addition, international cooperation must be strengthened in order to promote the development and dissemination of new technologies, assist in the construction of water infrastructure, and raise public awareness of water-savings, particularly in the Global South 30 .

Control population growth and urbanization in water-scarce regions by implementing relevant policies and regional planning. Urban population growth increases both water stress and the exposure of people, making it a key driver exacerbating global urban water scarcity 2 . Hence, the limitation of urban population growth in water-scarce areas can help to address this issue. According to our estimation, the control of urbanization under SSP3&RCP7.0, which has the lowest urbanization rate among four scenarios, can reduce the urban population subject to water scarcity by 93–207 million people compared with the business-as-usual scenario (SSP2&RCP4.5) and the rapid urbanization scenario (SSP5&RCP8.5), including 80–178 million people in India alone by 2050 (Fig.  2 ). To realize this pathway, policies that encourage family planning as well as tax incentives and regional planning for promoting population migration from water-scarce areas to other areas are needed 18 . In particular, for cities such as Delhi and Lahore that are both restricted by geography and socioeconomic disadvantage and have few options for dealing with water scarcity, there is an urgent need to control urban population growth and urbanization rates.

Mitigate climate change through energy efficiency and emissions abatement measures to avoid water resource impacts caused by the change in precipitation and the increase in evapotranspiration due to increased temperature. Our contribution analysis shows that the impacts of climate change on urban water scarcity is quite uncertain (ranging from a reduction of 72 million water-scarce urban people to an increase of 229 million) under different scenarios and GCMs (Fig.  4 ). On average, climate change under the business-as-usual scenario (SSP2&RCP4.5) will increase the global water-scarce urban population by 31 million in 2050. If the emissions reduction measures under SSP1&RCP2.6 are adopted, the increase in global water-scarce urban population due to climate change will be cut by half (16 million) in 2050. Thus, mitigating climate change is also important to reducing urban water scarcity. Considering that climate change in water-scarce areas would be affected by both internal and external impacts, mitigating climate change requires a global effort 31 .

Undertake integrated local sustainability assessment of water scarcity solutions. Our assessment reveals that 208 (71.2%) large cities may address water scarcity through seawater desalination, groundwater exploitation, reservoir construction, interbasin water transfer, and/or virtual water trade (Supplementary Table  5 ). While our results provide a guide at the global scale, city-level decisions about which measures to adopt to alleviate water scarcity involve very significant investments and should be supported by detailed local assessments of their relative effectiveness weighed against the potentially significant financial, environmental, and socio-economic costs. Integrated analyses are needed to quantify the effects of potential solutions on reducing water scarcity, their financial and resource requirements, and their potential impacts on socio-economic development for water-scarce cities and the sustainability of regional environments. To guard against the potential negative impacts of these measures, comprehensive impact assessments are required before implementing them, stringent regulatory oversight and continuous environmental monitoring are needed during and after their implementation, and policies and regulations should be established to achieve the sustainable supply and equitable distribution of water resources 24 , 32 .

Uncertainty is prevalent in our results due to limitations in the methodology and data used. First, constrained by data availability, in the evaluation of urban water scarcity in 2016 we used water demand/availability data for 2014 derived from the simulation results of the PCRGLOBWB 2 model, and only considered the inter-basin water transfers listed in City Water Map and the renewable groundwater simulated from the PCRGLOBWB 2 model instead of all available groundwater 3 , 33 . In the assessment of urban water scarcity and feasibility of potential solutions in 2050, we used water demand data derived from Hanasaki et al. 34 , in which irrigated area expansion, crop intensity change, and improvement in irrigation water efficiency were considered, but the change in irrigation to adapt to climate change as well as the impacts of energy systems (e.g., bio-energy production, mining, and fossil fuel extraction) on water demand were not fully considered 35 . Second, in order to maintain consistency and comparability of the water stress index (WSI) with the PCRGLOBWB 2 outputs 33 , environmental flow requirements were not considered. Following Mekonnen and Hoekstra 36 and Veldkamp et al. 37 (2017), we used an extreme threshold for WSI of 1.0 (where the entire water available is withdrawn for human use). If a more conservative threshold (e.g., WSI = 0.4 which is the threshold defining high water stress) was used, estimated global water scarcity and the urban population exposed to water stress would be much higher 7 .

In summary, global urban water scarcity is projected to intensify greatly from 2016 to 2050. By 2050, nearly half of the global urban population (1.693–2.373 billion) were projected to live in water-scarce regions, with about one quarter concentrated in India, and 19 (63%) global megacities are expected to face water scarcity. Increases in urban population and water demand drove this increase, while changes in water availability due to climate change compounded the problem. About 95% of all water-scarce cities could find at least one potential solution, but substantial investment is needed and solutions may have significant environmental and socioeconomic consequences. The aggravation of global urban water scarcity and the consequences of potential solutions will challenge the achievement of several SDGs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to further improve water-use efficiency, control urbanization in water-scarce areas, mitigate water availability decline due to climate change, and undertake integrated sustainability analyses of potential solutions to address urban water scarcity and promote sustainable development.

Description of scenarios used in this study

To assess future urban water scarcity, we used the scenario framework from the Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP), part of the International Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) 38 . The scenarios have been developed to better link the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) to support comprehensive research in different fields to better understand global climatic and socioeconomic interactions 38 , 39 . We selected the four ScenarioMIP Tier 1 scenarios (i.e., SSP1&RCP2.6, SSP2&RCP4.5, SSP3&RCP7.0, and SSP5&RCP8.5) to evaluate future urban water scarcity. SSP1&RCP2.6 represents the sustainable development pathway of low radiative forcing level, low climate change mitigation challenges, and low social vulnerability. SSP2&RCP4.5 represents the business-as-usual pathway of moderate radiative forcing and social vulnerability. SSP3&RCP7.0 represents a higher level of radiative forcing and high social vulnerability. SSP5&RCP8.5 represents a rapid development pathway and very high radiative forcing 38 .

Estimation of urban water scarcity

To estimate urban water scarcity, we quantified the total urban population living in water-scarce areas 2 , 3 , 7 , 19 . Specifically, we first corrected the spatial distribution of the global urban population, then identified water-scarce areas around the world, and finally quantified the urban population in water-scarce areas at different scales (Supplementary Fig.  1 ).

Correcting the spatial distribution of global urban population

The existing global urban population data from the History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE) provided consistent information on historical and future population, but it has a coarse spatial resolution of 10 km (Supplementary Table  1 ) 40 , 41 . In addition, it was estimated using total population, urbanization levels, and urban population density, and does not align well with the actual distribution of urban land 42 . Hence, we allocated the HYDE global urban population data to high-resolution urban land data. We first obtained global urban land in 2016 from He et al. 42 . Since the scenarios used in existing urban land forecasts are now dated 43 , 44 , we simulated the spatial distribution of global urban land in 2050 under each SSP at a grid-cell resolution of 1km 2 using the zoned Land Use Scenario Dynamics-urban (LUSD-urban) model 45 , 46 , 47 (Supplementary Methods 1). The simulated urban expansion area in this study was significantly correlated with that in existing datasets (Supplementary Table  6 ). We then converted the global urban land raster layers for 2016 and 2050 into vector format to characterize the spatial extent of each city. The total population within each city was then summed and the remaining HYDE urban population cells located outside urban areas were allocated to the nearest city. Assuming that the population density within an urban area was homogeneous, we calculated the total population per square kilometer for all urban areas and converted this back to raster format at a spatial resolution of 1 km 2 . The new urban population data had much lower error than the original HYDE data (Supplementary Table  7 ).

Identification of global water-scarce areas

Annual and monthly WSI values were calculated at the catchment level in 2014 and 2050 as the ratio of water withdrawals (TWW) to availability (AWR) 33 . Due to limited data availability, we combined water-scarce areas in 2014 and the urban population in 2016 to estimate current urban water scarcity. WSI for catchment i for time t as:

For each catchment defined by Masutomi et al. 48 , the total water withdrawal (TWW t,i ) equalled the sum of water withdrawals (WW t , n , i ) for each sector n (irrigation, livestock, industrial, or domestic), while the water availability equalled the sum of available water resources for catchment i ( R t , i ), inflows/outflows of water resources due to interbasin water transfer ( \(\varDelta {{{{\mathrm{W{R}}}}}}_{t,i}\) ), and water resources from each upstream catchment j (WR t , i , j ):

The changes of water resources due to interbasin water transfer were calculated based on City Water Map produced by McDonald et al. 3 . The number of water resources from upstream catchment j was calculated based on its water availability (AWR t , i , j ) and water consumption for each sector n (WC t , n , i,j ) 49 :

For areas without upstream catchments, the number of available water resources was equal to the runoff. Following Mekonnen and Hoekstra 36 , and Hofste et al. 33 , we did not consider environmental flow requirements in calculating water availability.

Annual and monthly WSI for 2014 were calculated directly based on water withdrawal, water consumption, and runoff data from AQUEDUCT3.0 (Supplementary Table  1 ). The data from AQUEDUCT3.0 were selected because they are publicly available and the PCRaster Global Water Balance (PCRGLOBWB 2) model used in the AQUADUCT 3.0 can better represent groundwater flow and available water resources in comparison with other global hydrologic models (e.g., the Water Global Assessment and Prognosis (WaterGAP) model) 33 . The annual and monthly WSI for 2050 were calculated by combining the global water withdrawal data from 2000 to 2050 provided by the National Institute of Environmental Research of Japan (NIER) 34 and global runoff data from 2005 to 2050 from CMIP6 (Supplementary Table  1 ). Water withdrawal \({{{{{\mathrm{W{W}}}}}}}_{s,m,n,i}^{2050}\) in 2050 for each sector n (irrigation, industrial, or domestic), catchment i , and month m under scenario s was calculated based on water withdrawal in 2014 ( \({{{{{\mathrm{W{W}}}}}}}_{m,n,i}^{2014}\) ):

adjusted by the mean annual change in water withdrawal from 2000 to 2050 (WWR s , m , n , i ), calculated using the global water withdrawal for 2000 ( \({{{{{\mathrm{W{W}}}}}}}_{{{{{\mathrm{NIER}}}}},m,n,i}^{2000}\) ) and 2050 ( \({{{{{\mathrm{W{W}}}}}}}_{{{{{\mathrm{NIER}}}}},s,m,n,i}^{2050}\) ) provided by the NIER 34 :

Based on the assumption of a constant ratio of water consumption to water withdrawal in each catchment, water consumption in 2050 ( \({{{{{\mathrm{W{C}}}}}}}_{s,m,n,i}^{2050}\) ) was calculated as:

where \({{{{{\mathrm{W{C}}}}}}}_{m,n,i}^{2014}\) denotes water consumption in 2014. Due to a lack of data, we specified that water withdrawal for livestock remained constant between 2014 and 2050, and used water withdrawal simulation under SSP3&RCP6.0 provided by the National Institute of Environmental Research in Japan to approximate SSP3&RCP7.0.

To estimate water availability, we calculated available water resources ( \({R}_{s,m,i}^{2041-2050}\) ) for each catchment i and month m under scenario s for the period of 2041–2050 as:

based on the amount of available water resources with 10-year ordinary least square regression from 2005 to 2014 ( \({R}_{m,i}^{{{{{\mathrm{ols}}}}},\,2005-2014}\) ) from AQUEDUCT3.0 (Supplementary Table  1 ). \({\overline{R}}_{m,i}^{2005-2014}\) and \({\overline{R}}_{s,m,i}^{2041-2050}\) denote the multi-year average of runoff (i.e., surface and subsurface) from 2005 to 2014, and from 2041 to 2050, respectively, calculated using the average values of simulation results from 10 global climate models (GCMs) (Supplementary Table  2 ).

We then identified water-scarce catchments based on the WSI. Two thresholds of 0.4 and 1.0 have been used to identify water-scarce areas from WSI (Supplementary Table  4 ). While the 0.4 threshold indicates high water stress 49 , the threshold of 1.0 has a clearer physical meaning, i.e., that water demand is equal to the available water supply and environmental flow requirements are not met 36 , 37 . We adopted the value of 1.0 as a threshold representing extreme water stress to identify water-scarce areas. The catchments with annual WSI >1.0 were identified as perennial water-scarce catchments; the catchments with annual WSI equal to or <1.0 and WSI for at least one month >1.0 were identified as seasonal water-scarce catchments.

Estimation of global urban water scarcity

Based on the corrected global urban population data and the identified water-scarce areas, we evaluated urban water scarcity at the global and national scales via a spatial overlay analysis. The urban population exposed to water scarcity in a region (e.g., the whole world or a single country) is equal to the sum of the urban population in perennial water-scarce areas and that in seasonal water-scarce areas. Limited by data availability, we used water-scarce areas in 2014 and the urban population in 2016 to estimate current urban water scarcity. Projected water-scarce areas and urban population in 2050 under four scenarios were then used to estimate future urban water scarcity. In addition, we obtained the location information of large cities (with population >1 million in 2016) from the United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects 1 (Supplementary Table  1 ) and identified those in perennial and seasonal water-scarce areas.

Uncertainty analysis

To evaluate the uncertainty across the 10 GCMs used in this study (Supplementary Table  2 ), we identified water-scarce areas and estimated urban water scarcity using the simulated runoff from each GCM under four scenarios. To perform the uncertainty analysis, the runoff in 2050 for each GCM was calculated using the following equation:

where \({R}_{s,g,m,i}^{2050}\) denotes the runoff of catchment i in month m in 2050 for GCM g under scenario s . \({R}_{g,m,i}^{2005-2014}\) and \({R}_{s,g,m,i}^{2041-2050}\) denote the multi-year average runoff from 2005 to 2014, and from 2041 to 2050, respectively, calculated using the simulation results from GCM g . Using the runoff for each GCM, the WSI in 2050 for each catchment was recalculated, water-scarce areas were identified, and the urban population exposed to water scarcity was estimated.

Contribution analysis

Based on the approach used by McDonald et al. 2 and Munia et al. 50 , we quantified the contribution of socioeconomic factors (i.e., water demand and urban population) and climatic factors (i.e., water availability) to the changes in global urban water scarcity from 2016 to 2050. To assess the contribution of socioeconomic factors ( \({{{{{\mathrm{Co{n}}}}}}}_{s,{{{{\mathrm{SE}}}}}}\) ), we calculated global urban water scarcity in 2050 while varying demand and population and holding catchment runoff constant ( \({{{{{\mathrm{UW{S}}}}}}}_{s,{{{{\mathrm{SE}}}}}}^{2050}\) ). Conversely, to assess the contribution of climate change ( \(Co{n}_{s,CC}\) ), we calculated scarcity while varying runoff and holding urban population and water demand constant ( \({{{{{\mathrm{UW{S}}}}}}}_{s,{{{{\mathrm{CC}}}}}}^{2050}\) ). Socioeconomic and climatic contributions were then calculated as:

Feasibility analysis of potential solutions to urban water scarcity

Potential solutions to urban water scarcity involve two aspects: increasing water availability and reducing water demand 2 . Approaches to increasing water availability include groundwater exploitation, seawater desalination, reservoir construction, and inter-basin water transfer; while approaches to reduce water demand include water-use efficiency measures (e.g., new cultivars for improving agricultural water productivity, sprinkler or drip irrigation for improving water-use efficiency, water-recycling facilities for improving domestic and industrial water-use intensity), limiting population growth, and virtual water trade 2 , 3 , 18 , 32 . To find the best ways to address urban water scarcity, we assessed the feasibility of these potential solutions for each large city (Supplementary Fig.  2 ).

First, we divided these solutions into seven groups according to scenario settings and the scale of implementation of each solution (Supplementary Fig.  2 ). Among the solutions assessed, water-use efficiency improvement, limiting population growth, and climate change mitigation were included in the simulation of water demand and water availability under the ScenarioMIP SSPs&RCPs simulations 34 . Here, we considered the measures within SSP1&RCP2.6 which included the lowest growth in population, irrigated area, crop intensity, and greenhouse gas emissions; and the largest improvements in irrigation, industrial, and municipal water-use efficiency 34 .

We then evaluated the feasibility of the seven groups of solutions according to the characteristics of water-scarce cities (Supplementary Fig.  2 ). Of the 526 large cities (with population >1 million in 2016 according to the United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects), we identified those facing perennial or seasonal water scarcity under at least one scenario by 2050. We then selected the cities that no longer faced water scarcity under SSP1&RCP2.6 where the internal scenario assumptions around water-use efficiency, population growth, and climate change were sufficient to mitigate water scarcity. Following McDonald et al. 2 , 3 and Wada et al. 18 , we assumed that desalination can be a potential solution for coastal cities (distance from coastline <100 km) and groundwater exploitation can be feasible for cities where the groundwater table has not significantly declined. For cities in catchments facing seasonal water scarcity and with suitable topography, reservoir construction was identified as a potential solution. Inter-basin water transfer was identified as a potential solution for a city if nearby basins (i.e., in the same country, <1000 km away [the distance of the longest water transfer project in the world]) were not subject to water scarcity and had sufficient water resources to address the water scarcity for the city. Domestic virtual water trade was identified as a potential solution for a city if it was located in a country without national scale water scarcity. International water transfer or virtual water trade was identified as a feasible solution for cities in middle and high-income countries. Based on the above assumptions, we identified potential solutions to water scarcity in each city (see Supplementary Table  1 for the data used).

Data availability

All the data created in this study are openly available and the download information of supplementary data can be found in Github repositories with the identifier https://github.com/zfliu-bnu/Urban-water-scarcity . Other data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Prof. N. Hanasaki (National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan) and Dr. Rutger W. Hofste (World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, USA) for providing global water demand/availability data. This work was supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (Grant No. 2019QZKK0405) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41871185 & 41971270). It was also supported by the project from the State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, China.

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School of Life Sciences and School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

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C.H., Z.L., J.W., and B.B. designed the study and planned the analysis. Z.L., X.P., Z.F., and J.L. did the data analysis. C.H., Z.L., and B.B. drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the interpretation of findings, provided revisions to the manuscript, and approved the final manuscript.

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He, C., Liu, Z., Wu, J. et al. Future global urban water scarcity and potential solutions. Nat Commun 12 , 4667 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25026-3

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Water Scarcity Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on water scarcity essay.

Water is the basic necessity of every human being. But, water scarcity is a major issue that is rising very rapidly in modern-day India. The problem has become so severe that in many states the groundwater has almost dried up and people have to depend on water supply from other sources. In addition, water is one of the most misused commodities that we still waste. It is the central point of our lives but not the central point of our focus.

In the past, people understand the value of water and plan their lives around it. Moreover, many civilizations bloom and lost on account of water. But, today we have knowledge but we still fail to understand the value of water.

Reason for Water Scarcity in India

Water scarcity is the cause of mismanagement and excess population growth of the water resources. Also, it is a man-made issue that continues to rise. Besides, some of the reasons for water scarcity are:

Wasteful use of water for Agriculture- India is one of the major food growers in the world. That produces tons of quantity of food to feed its population and export the surplus that is left.

In addition, producing this much food requires a lot of water too. The traditional method of irrigation wastes a lot of water due to evaporation, water conveyance, drainage, percolation, and the overuse of groundwater. Besides, most of the areas in India use traditional irrigation techniques that stress the availability of water.

But, the solution to this problem lies in the extensive irrigation techniques such as micro-irrigation in which we provide water to plants and crops using a sprinkler or drip irrigation.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Reduction in water recharge systems- Due to rapid construction that uses concrete and marbles do not let the rainwater to get absorbed in the soil. But, if we install some mechanism in our houses that can hold the rainwater then we can recharge the groundwater .

Lack of water management and distribution- There is a need for an efficient system that can manage and distribute the water in urban areas. Also, the government needs to enhance its technology and investment in water treatment. Besides, we should ensure optimization at the planning level.

Solutions to Overcome this Problem

Water-free urinal- Urinal waste around 6 liters of water per flush that add up to 25 thousand liters per year. If a male member of the house stops using the flush then they can save lots of water.

Close the running tap- During dishwashing and hand washing people often let the tap running. These running taps waste thousands of liters of water per year. Besides, closing the tap will reduce this problem.

Replace dripping taps- In India it is commonly seen that most of the houses have one or two taps that drop water even when they are close. This running tap wastes up to 30,000 liters of water that nobody bothers to change. So, we should replace these taps immediately.

To conclude, water scarcity has become a more dangerous problem day by day. Also, due to our leniency that we haven’t taken the problem water scarcity seriously. But, now the authorities and people are working to resolve this problem so that our future generations do not have to buy this necessity.

FAQs about Water Scarcity Essay

Q.1 What is the effect of water scarcity? A.1 In a broad way, the problem of water scarcity can be categorized into four areas- health, education, hunger, and poverty.

Q.2 Name three major causes of water scarcity? A.2 The three major causes of water scarcity are Increase in demand, government interference, and a decrease in supply.

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• Water Scarcity Essay

Essay on Water Scarcity

Water is the basic necessity of every human being, but water scarcity is a major issue that is rising very rapidly in India nowadays. The problem has become so severe that in many states the groundwater has almost dried up and people have to depend on water supply from other sources. In addition, water is one of the most misused natural resources that we still waste. It is the central point of our lives but unfortunately, not our priority concern. 

Earlier, people understood the value of water and planned their lives around it. Moreover, many civilizations were born and lost around water, but today, in spite of having knowledge, we still fail to understand the value of water in our lives. 

Reasons for Water Scarcity

Mismanagement of water and the growing population in our country are the two main reasons for water scarcity. There are also a number of other man made disturbances that continue to rise. Besides this, some of the reasons for water scarcity are:  

Wasteful Use of Water for Agriculture  

India, an agricultural country, produces a huge quantity of food to feed its population. The surplus that is left, gets exported outside. 

It is not unknown that producing this much food requires a lot of water too. The traditional method of irrigation wastes a lot of water due to evaporation, water conveyance, drainage, percolation, and the overuse of groundwater. Besides, most of the areas in India use traditional irrigation techniques that stress the availability of water.

However, the technique of irrigation has changed during modern times and we provide water to plants using a sprinkler or drip irrigation.

Reduction in Water Recharges Systems  

Rapid construction that uses concrete and marbles may not let the rainwater get absorbed in the soil, but still, we install some mechanism in our houses so that we can hold the rainwater. Then we can recharge the groundwater.

Lack of Water Management and Distribution

There is a need for an efficient system to manage and distribute the water in urban areas. The Indian government also needs to enhance its technology and investment in water treatment. Besides, we should ensure optimization at the planning level.

Solutions to Overcome this Problem

Close the running tap.

 During dishwashing and hand washing people often let the tap run. These running taps waste thousands of liters of water per year. Therefore, closing the tap will reduce this problem.

Replace Dripping Taps  

In India, it is commonly seen that most of the houses have taps or faucets that go on dripping water even when they are closed. This running tap wastes up to 30,000 liters of water that nobody bothers to change. So, we should replace these taps immediately.

Brief on Water Scarcity  

Water is a basic necessity for every living being.  Life without water is impossible, not just for us humans, but for all plants and animals too. Water scarcity is an issue of grave concern these days as water scarcity has become very common. Water is one of the most wasted natural resources and corrective measures should be taken before the water scarcity situation becomes worse. In spite of being aware of the implications, not much is being done today. 

In India, and across the world, it has been recorded that about half a billion people face a shortage of water for about six months annually. Many well-known cities around the world are facing acute scarcity of water. Many facts and figures are available to know about the water scarcity problem, but what are the reasons for this scarcity? 

With the growing population, the use of water has increased manifold. The lack of more freshwater sources and the increase in population is a major reason for this scarcity. The lack of proper Water management systems and proper drainage systems in India, especially in the urban areas is a major cause too. Kitchen wastewater should be able to be recycled but due to a poor drainage system, this is not possible. An efficient water management system is required in order to distribute water in urban areas.

Another major issue is Deforestation. Areas with more greenery and plants are known to have good rainfall.  Industrialisation and urbanization are two major factors here. Due to Deforestation, and cutting down of trees, rainfall has become an issue too.

Rivers are a major source of fresh water in India. Today we see a lot of industries that have come up and all of them are mostly near the rivers and these rivers become highly polluted as a result of all the industrial waste.

Effect of Global Warming and Climate Change

Global Warming and Climate Change are also responsible for the scarcity of water. The melting of icebergs into the sea due to the rise in temperatures is a reason as to how salty water is increasing day by day instead of freshwater. The percentage of rainfall has decreased drastically these days. Climate change along with the decrease in rainfall percentage has greatly affected freshwater bodies. 

Water scarcity has become a major problem and an alarming issue these days, and we must consciously strive to work together to find some solution to this issue of water scarcity. The Indian government today has formulated and come up with many plans on how to tackle and solve this problem.

To conclude, water scarcity has become an alarming issue day by day. If we do not take the problem of water scarcity seriously now, our future generations are going to suffer severely and may even have to buy this necessity at a high cost.

FAQs on Water Scarcity Essay

1.  What are the reasons for Water Scarcity?

The lack of proper Water Management and proper Drainage system plays a major role. Many other factors and reasons can be held responsible for the scarcity of water. Some of the major reasons are Global Warming and Climate Change; Pollution of the rivers due to industrialization; Deforestation and the cutting down of trees is another reason; Reduced percentage of rainfall due to the climate change pattern; Increase in the population which leads to increase in the use of water.  Learn more about water scarcity on Vedantu website helpful for long-term.

2. What is meant by the scarcity of water?

The scarcity of water means a shortage of water and not being able to manage the demand and supply of water. Water scarcity refers to the lack of freshwater bodies to meet the standard quantity and demand of water. Unequal distribution of water due to factors like Climate Change and Global Warming. Water Scarcity is also due to pollution and lack of rainfall. Water scarcity means a scarcity due to some physical scarcity or scarcity due to the lack of regular supply.

3. What are the two types of water scarcity?

Physical water scarcity is the result of regions' demand outpacing the limited water resources found in that location. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, about 1.2 billion people live in areas of physical scarcity and many of these people live in arid or semi-arid regions. People who are affected by this Physical kind of water scarcity are expected to grow as the population increases and as the weather patterns keep changing as a result of climate change.

Economic water scarcity is due to the lack of proper water infrastructure and a proper water management system or also because of poor management of water resources. The FAO estimates that more than 1.6 billion people face economic water shortages today. Economic water scarcity can also take place because of the unregulated use of water for agriculture and industry.

4.  How can we solve the problem?

Conscious awareness is required to deal with and understand the problem of water scarcity. We can start off by consciously saving water in our homes and surroundings.  Small easy steps like taking care when washing hands, or when working in the kitchen, have to be taken. The running water taps are a major reason for losing hundreds of liters of water on a daily basis. And we should be careful not to waste this water. Conscious decision to save and the need to understand the problem of water scarcity is of utmost importance.

5. How do we waste water?

Water is wasted in ways we do not even realize, in our homes and in our workplaces. When we brush our teeth, when we shave or when we wash the dishes, one of the most common things we do is to keep the water running, especially when running water is available. As soon as we begin cleaning or washing, we do not think of the water that is being wasted. While washing hands, we leave the water tap on, which results in wasting water too. Small things like these should be kept in mind and this could be our small step towards preserving water.

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Water Stress: A Global Problem That’s Getting Worse

• Water scarcity happens when communities can’t fulfill their water needs, either because supplies are insufficient or infrastructure is inadequate. Today, billions of people face some form of water stress.
• Countries have often cooperated on water management. Still, there are a handful of places where transboundary waters are driving tensions, such as the Nile Basin.
• Climate change will likely exacerbate water stress worldwide, as rising temperatures lead to more unpredictable weather and extreme weather events, including floods and droughts.

Introduction

Billions of people around the world lack adequate access to one of the essential elements of life: clean water. Although governments and aid groups have helped many living in water-stressed regions gain access in recent years, the problem is projected to get worse due to global warming and population growth. Meanwhile, a paucity of international coordination on water security has slowed the search for solutions.

Water stress can differ dramatically from one place to another, in some cases causing wide-reaching damage, including to public health, economic development, and global trade. It can also drive mass migrations and spark conflict. Now, pressure is mounting on countries to implement more sustainable and innovative practices and to improve international cooperation on water management.

What is water stress?

• Food and Water Security
• Energy and Environment
• Infrastructure

Water stress or scarcity occurs when demand for safe, usable water in a given area exceeds the supply. On the demand side, the vast majority—roughly 70 percent—of the world’s freshwater is used for agriculture, while the rest is divided between industrial (19 percent) and domestic uses (11 percent), including for drinking. On the supply side, sources include surface waters, such as rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as groundwater, accessed through aquifers.

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But scientists have different ways of defining and measuring water stress, taking into account a variety of factors including seasonal changes, water quality, and accessibility. Meanwhile, measurements of water stress can be imprecise, particularly in the case of groundwater. “Any numbers out there have to be taken with a grain of salt,” says Upmanu Lall , a Columbia University professor and water expert. “None of these definitions are typically accounting for groundwater usage, or groundwater stock.”

What causes water scarcity?

Water scarcity is often divided into two categories: physical scarcity, when there is a shortage of water because of local ecological conditions; and economic scarcity, when there is inadequate water infrastructure.

The two frequently come together to cause water stress. For instance, a stressed area can have both a shortage of rainfall as well as a lack of adequate water storage and sanitation facilities. Experts say that even when there are significant natural causes for a region’s water stress, human factors are often central to the problem, particularly with regard to access to clean water and safe sanitation. Most recently, for example, the war in Ukraine damaged critical infrastructure, leaving six million people with limited or no access to safe water in 2022.

“Almost always the drinking water problem has nothing to do with physical water scarcity,” says Georgetown University’s Mark Giordano , an expert on water management. “It has to do with the scarcity of financial and political wherewithal to put in the infrastructure to get people clean water. It’s separate.”

At the same time, some areas that suffer physical water scarcity have the infrastructure that has allowed life there to thrive, such as in Oman and the southwestern United States.

A variety of authorities, from the national level down to local jurisdictions, govern or otherwise influence the water supply. In the United States, more than half a dozen federal agencies deal with different aspects of water: the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforces regulations on clean water, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) prepares for and responds to water disasters . Similar authorities exist at the state and local levels to protect and oversee the use of water resources, including through zoning and rehabilitation projects.

Which regions are most water-stressed?

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the worst off in terms of physical water stress, according to most experts. MENA receives less rainfall than other regions, and its countries tend to have fast-growing, densely populated urban centers that require more water. But many countries in these regions, especially wealthier ones, still meet their water needs. For example, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) imports nearly all of its food, alleviating the need to use water for agriculture. The UAE and other wealthy MENA countries also rely heavily on the desalination of abundant ocean water, albeit this process is an expensive, energy-intensive one.

Meanwhile, places experiencing significant economic scarcity include Central African countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo , which receives a lot of rain but lacks proper infrastructure and suffers from high levels of mismanagement.

Even high-income countries experience water stress. Factors including outdated infrastructure and rapid population growth have put tremendous stress on some U.S. water systems , causing crises in cities including Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey.

How is climate change affecting water stress?

For every 1°C (1.8°F) increase in the global average temperature, UN experts project a 20 percent drop in renewable water resources. Global warming is expected to increase the number of water-stressed areas and heighten water stress in already affected regions. Subtropical areas, such as Australia, the southern United States, and North African countries, are expected to warm and suffer more frequent and longer droughts; however, when rainfall does occur in these regions, it is projected to be more intense. Weather in tropical regions will likewise become more variable, climate scientists say.

Agriculture could become a particular challenge. Farming suffers as rainfall becomes more unpredictable and rising temperatures accelerate the evaporation of water from soil. A more erratic climate is also expected to bring more floods, which can wipe out crops an overwhelm storage systems. Furthermore, rainfall runoff can sweep up sediment that can clog treatment facilities and contaminate other water sources.

In a 2018 report , a panel consisting of many of the world’s top climate researchers showed that limiting global warming to a maximum 1.5°C (2.7°F) above preindustrial levels—the aim of the Paris Agreement on climate—could substantially reduce the likelihood of water stress in some regions, such as the Mediterranean and southern Africa, compared to an unchecked increase in temperature. However, most experts say the Paris accord will not be enough to prevent the most devastating effects of climate change.

What are its impacts on public health and development?

Prolonged water stress can have devastating effects on public health and economic development. More than two billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water; and nearly double that number—more than half the world’s population—are without adequate sanitation services . These deprivations can spur the transmission of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, polio, hepatitis A, and diarrhea.

At the same time, because water scarcity makes agriculture much more difficult, it threatens a community’s access to food. Food-insecure communities can face both acute and chronic hunger, where children are more at risk of conditions stemming from malnutrition, such as stunting and wasting, and chronic illnesses due to poor diet, such as diabetes.

Even if a water-stressed community has stable access to potable water, people can travel great lengths or wait in long lines to get it—time that could otherwise be spent at work or at school. Economists note these all combine [PDF] to take a heavy toll on productivity and development.

Living in a Water-Stressed World

A housing development lies on the edge of Cathedral City, a desert resort town in southern California, in April 2015.

Eleven-year-old Chikuru carries water in a plastic jerrican, which weighs about forty pounds when full, to her home in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, in September 2019.

The water level at Camlidere Dam in the Turkish capital of Ankara is low due to seasonal drought and high water consumption amid the COVID-19 pandemic, November 2020.

A young boy washes a cooking pot in a pool of rainwater outside a slum where members of the Muhamasheen minority group live in Sanaa, Yemen, July 2020.

Abdel-Shaheed Gerges, a farmer, touches water flowing through a government-developed irrigation channel in Esna, Egypt, in October 2019.

Summer Weeks bathes her two-year-old daughter, Ravynn, outside their home in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, September 2020.

A worker waters turf at a sprawling horse-racing facility in Dubai in March 2021.

A woman collects water from a well dug in the Black Umfolozi Riverbed, which is dry due to drought, outside of Durban, South Africa, in January 2016.

The shadow of a girl who fled Raqqa is cast on the wall of a water spigot at a camp for internally displaced people in Syria, August 2017.

Kevin Dudley carries his daughter, Katelyn, and bottles of water to his apartment amid weeks-long water outages across Jackson, Mississippi, in March 2021.

A woman uses swamp water to wash clothes in northern Jakarta, Indonesia, in March 2018.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need for safe water access. Handwashing is one of the most effective tools for combating the coronavirus, but health experts noted that three in ten individuals —2.3 billion people globally—could not wash their hands at home at the pandemic’s onset.

How has water factored into international relations?

Many freshwater sources transcend international borders, and, for the most part, national governments have been able to manage these resources cooperatively. Roughly three hundred international water agreements have been signed since 1948. Finland and Russia, for example, have long cooperated on water-management challenges, including floods, fisheries, and pollution. Water-sharing agreements have even persisted through cross-border conflicts about other issues, as has been the case with South Asia’s Indus River and the Jordan River in the Middle East.

However, there are a handful of hot spots where transboundary waters are a source of tension, either because there is no agreement in place or an existing water regime is disputed. One of these is the Nile Basin, where the White and Blue Nile Rivers flow from lakes in East Africa northward to the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt claims the rights to most of the Nile’s water based on several treaties, the first dating back to the colonial era; but other riparian states say they are not bound to the accords because they were never party to them. The dispute has flared in recent years after Ethiopia began construction of a massive hydroelectric dam that Egypt says drastically cuts its share of water.

Transboundary water disputes can also fuel intrastate conflict; some observers note this has increased in recent years , particularly in the hot spots where there are fears of cross-border conflict. For example, a new hydropower project could benefit elites but do little to improve the well-being of the communities who rely on those resources.

Moreover, water stress can affect global flows of goods and people. For instance, wildfires and drought in 2010 wiped out Russian crops, which resulted in a spike in commodities prices and food riots in Egypt and Tunisia at the start of the Arab uprisings. Climate stress is also pushing some to migrate across borders. The United Nations predicts that without interventions in climate change, water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions will displace hundreds of millions of people by 2030.

What are international organizations and governments doing to alleviate water stress?

There has been some international mobilization around water security. Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , a sweeping fifteen-year development agenda adopted by member states in 2015. Smart water management is also vital to many of the other SDGs, such as eliminating hunger and ensuring good health and well-being. And while the Paris Agreement on climate does not refer to water explicitly, the United Nations calls [PDF] water management an “essential component of nearly all the mitigation and adaptation strategies.” The organization warns of the increasing vulnerability of conventional water infrastructure, and points to many climate-focused alternatives, such as coastal reservoirs and solar-powered water systems.

However, there is no global framework for addressing water stress, like there is for fighting climate change or preserving biodiversity . The most recent UN summit on water, held in March 2023, was the first such conference since 1977 and didn’t aim to produce an international framework. It instead created a UN envoy on water and saw hundreds of governments, nonprofits, and businesses sign on to a voluntary Water Action Agenda, which analysts called an important but insufficient step compared to a binding agreement among world governments.

Some governments and partner organizations have made progress in increasing access to water services: Between 2000 and 2017, the number of people using safely managed drinking water and safely managed sanitation services rose by 10 percent and 17 percent, respectively. In 2022, the Joe Biden administration announced an action plan to elevate global water security as a critical component of its efforts to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives. But the pace of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have presented new challenges. Now, many countries say they are unlikely to implement integrated water management systems by 2030, the target date for fulfilling the SDGs. 

Still, some governments are taking ambitious and creative steps to improve their water security that could serve as models for others:

Green infrastructure . Peruvian law mandates that water utilities reinvest a portion of their profits into green infrastructure (the use of plant, soil, and other natural systems to manage stormwater), and Canada and the United States have provided tens of millions of dollars in recent years to support Peru’s efforts [PDF]. Vietnam has taken similar steps to integrate natural and more traditional built water infrastructure.

Wastewater recycling . More and more cities around the globe are recycling sewage water into drinking water, something Namibia’s desert capital has been doing for decades. Facilities in countries including China and the United States turn byproducts from wastewater treatment into fertilizer.

Smarter agriculture . Innovations in areas such as artificial intelligence and genome editing are also driving progress. China has become a world leader in bioengineering crops to make them more productive and resilient.

Recommended Resources

The Wilson Center’s Lauren Risi writes that water wars between countries have not come to pass, but subnational conflicts over the resource are already taking a toll.

CFR’s Why It Matters podcast talks to Georgetown University’s Mark Giordano and the Global Water Policy Project’s Sandra Postel about water scarcity .

The World Economic Forum describes the growing water crisis in the Horn of Africa, while National Geographic looks at how the prolonged drought is pushing wildlife closer to towns.

The World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct maps the areas facing extremely high water stress.

The United Nations shares facts about water and its role in all aspects of life.

BuzzFeed News interviews residents of Jackson, Mississippi , who lost access to safe water after freezing temperatures wreaked havoc on the city’s decaying infrastructure.

• Sustainable Development Goals (UN)

Emily Lieberman contributed to this Backgrounder. Michael Bricknell and Will Merrow helped create the graphics.

• What are its impacts on health and development?
• What is being done to alleviate water stress?

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Ielts essay # 1503 - lack of fresh water is becoming a global issue, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, lack of fresh water is becoming a global issue of increasing importance., what problems does the shortage of fresh water cause what measures could be taken to overcome these problems.

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A Serious Problem Affecting Countries Right across the Globe is the lack of Water for Drinking- IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated On Aug 14, 2024

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Table of Contents

Sample essay.

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A serious problem affecting countries right across the globe is the lack of water for drinking, washing and other household use. Why do many countries face water shortages? and what could be done to tackle the problem?

Cause/Solution essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Paraphrase the topic using synonyms to establish a base upon which you will elaborate.

Sentence 3 – Mention that the essay will understand the causes of shortage of water which has become a serious problem affecting countries around the world.

Body paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Outline the causes of scarcity of water because of human activities.

Paragraph 2 – Elucidate the solutions like different laws that can save the problem that the whole world is facing together.

Summarise the essay and state your opinion.

Since time immemorial, freshwater has always been a scarce natural resource in specific drier parts of the world. However, due to various reasons, scarcity of fresh water has become a global issue in the present time. There are several reasons behind this phenomenon, which will be discussed in the essay and the government and individuals should adopt several solutions to improve the situation.

The water crisis in the world is getting worse as demand for water increases while the availability of resources decreases. One of the most significant reasons is unwise water usage. For instance, it is common for people to leave the tap open while brushing their teeth or cleaning their face. Some people tend to wash their clothes and garments in river water, leaving the water soiled and filthy and of little use later. Secondly, increased pollution of natural freshwater reserves due to urbanisation and industrialisation has compounded this demand. In fact, since the beginning of mechanisation, freshwater from rivers and lakes has increasingly been used for manufacturing processes such as chemical reactions, cleaning toxic types of equipment, etc.

On the other hand, national authorities can control this surge by implementing public education schemes regarding controlled water usage. Strict federal legislation for preventing natural freshwater reserve pollution is also required. Additionally, the government should also set up infrastructure for the purification of seawater into salt-free water, which will help meet the growing requirement of freshwater. Also, sea dumping should be strictly prohibited by authorities.

All things considered, it is unambiguous that the world is facing an acute problem of water scarcity. Therefore, it is undoubtedly possible to start to tackle these issues and ameliorate the quality of life. National Authorities must take the lead in dealing with the problem. Otherwise, life will only worsen in the future.

Meaning – the state of being scarce or in short supply; shortage. Example – The problem is that water prices do not correlate with relative water scarcity.

Meaning – a time of intense difficulty or danger. Example – Europe is facing a crisis in brains in science and technology, according to two new reports.

Meaning – dirty; stained. Example – We live in a world soiled by the grossness, wickedness and filth of sin.

Meaning – disgustingly dirty. Example – The air is so filthy that it is difficult to breathe pure oxygen.

Meaning – very harmful or unpleasant in a pervasive or insidious way. Example – Health authorities have closed five factories that had mistakenly used the toxic chemicals in their products.

Meaning – a sudden powerful forward or upward movement, especially by a crowd or by a natural force such as the tide. Example – No sooner than he had said this, he felt a sudden surge of energy flood through him.

Meaning – having or relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs. Example – The federal government will take punitive action against the company that polluted the river.

Meaning – containing or impregnated with salt. Example – Intake of saline water is helpful you for hydration.

• Unambiguous

Meaning – not open to more than one interpretation. Example – Instructions should be unambiguous.

Meaning – make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better. Example – Improved social and economic conditions enhance health status and ameliorate problems of addiction.

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