WATE SCARCITY occurs when there is not enough water to meet all demands. Arid regions are most often associated with physical water scarcity, but an alarming new trend is an artificially created physical water scarcity due to overallocation and overdevelopment of water resources. Symptoms of physical water scarcity include, among other factors, severe environmental degradation and increasing occurrence of conflicts. is caused by a lack of investment in water or a lack of human capacity to satisfy the demand for water, even in places where water is abundant. Symptoms of economic water scarcity include inadequate infrastructure development: people have trouble getting enough water for domestic and other purposes; high vulnerability to seasonal fluctuations: floods and drought; and inequitable distribution of water, even when infrastructure exists. [i Physical water scarcity [Bavproaching physical water Economie water scarcity LD itte oF no water scarcity water resources develapmentis _starety. More than 60% of iver (human, institutional, and ‘Abundant water resources ing or has exceeded flows are withdrawn. These financial capital imit access to relative to use, with ess than water from rivers fe limits). More than basins will experience physical water eventhough water in 2 13% ofthe ever flows are water ecarctyin the nearuture. nature is avalable locally to withdraw for human withdrawn for agriculture, ‘eet human demands). Water purposes. industry, and domestic purposes resources are abundant relative laccounting for eeyeling of return to water use, with les than 25% flows), This definition—relating of water from rivers withdrawn water availabilty to water for human purposes, but demand—implies that dry areas malnutrition exist, ily water scarce. [Bsa water scarcy Bi onomic water sereiy Be [Eine esis Source: Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, 2007 ay FAOWATER | www. fao.org/nr/water