Water scarcity, both natural and of human origin, is the lack of

sufficient available water resources to meet the demands within a

region. Water is unequally distributed over time and space. Much of it is
wasted, polluted and unsustainably managed.
There is no global water scarcity as such, but a number of places and
regions are chronically short of water because its use at the global level
has increased more than twice as fast as the population over the last
century.
Pressure on water resources is increasing in several parts of the world,
especially in China, India, Pakistan, in the Middle East and many
countries and regions of Africa.

04. Causes
Water scarcityCauses
What are the main sources of water scarcity?
PollutionOveruse of waterClimate ChangeGrowing freshwater demand
Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels

GROWING FRESHWATER DEMAND

Over the last 50 years, the world's population has doubled and continues to grow. As a
result, the use of water to drink, cook and meet other needs has tripled. As the global
population is expected to boom in the coming decades, water resources need to be
managed more efficiently.
Photo by Alex Gindin on Unsplash

POLLUTION

The degradation of water quality contributes to the shortage. Water pollution has

environmental consequences that make water unfit for consumption or use and reduce
the available water resources. Pollution is thus becoming one of the main threats to the
availability and reuse of water. Fertilizers and pesticides, soil depletion and poor waste
disposal conditions are detrimental to available freshwater sources.
Photo by Wynand Uys on Unsplash
OVERUSE OF WATER

The misuse of water resources is another big issue leading to water scarcity. Inadequate
management of water resources, whether it be for agriculture - using 70% of the world’s
accessible freshwater - industrial activities or domestic use, causes a lot of wasted water.
Considering that we are wasting more water than ever before, this causes a lot of
“stress” on the amount of available water resources.
Photo by Simon Matzinger on Pexels

CLIMATE CHANGE

Glaciers and ice packs are melting in some areas, affecting the freshwater supplies.
Moreover, because of global warming, there are more and more droughts, floods and
heat waves. Climate change is therefore worsening the water crisis, especially in regions
that are already under water stress.
Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels

GROWING FRESHWATER DEMAND

Over the last 50 years, the world's population has doubled and continues to grow. As a
result, the use of water to drink, cook and meet other needs has tripled. As the global
population is expected to boom in the coming decades, water resources need to be
managed more efficiently.
Photo by Alex Gindin on Unsplash

POLLUTION

The degradation of water quality contributes to the shortage. Water pollution has

environmental consequences that make water unfit for consumption or use and reduce
the available water resources. Pollution is thus becoming one of the main threats to the
availability and reuse of water. Fertilizers and pesticides, soil depletion and poor waste
disposal conditions are detrimental to available freshwater sources.
05. Effects
Water scarcityEffects
Water shortages have a great impact on human health, socio-economic
development, and the environment:
Photo by Department for International Development

1. Hunger, poverty and education

Apart from dehydration due to the obvious lack of drinking water, hunger is one the
most serious effect of water scarcity. Why? Water shortages have a direct impact on
crops and livestock, which can lead to food shortages and eventually starvation. As well,
because of water shortages some people cannot shower, wash their clothes or clean
their homes properly.
In the poorest countries, some children can’t go to school, because they are either too
sick or they have to walk for a long time to reach a water source. Even when they can
attend, many children cannot learn because of their fatigue, heavy responsibilities and
worries for their families.
2. Sanitation issues and diseases
Water scarcity generates sanitation problems by forcing people to drink unsafe water. In
fact, when water is scarce people tend to store it at home, which increases the risk of
domestic water contamination and creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which
transmit dengue and malaria.
Lack of water cause other diseases such as trachoma (an eye infection that can cause
blindness), plague and typhus.
3. Conflicts
Having access to water has become a powerful global economic issue that could become
one of the main causes of international tension. Local conflicts - sometimes resulting in
warfare - are triggered over scarce water resources. With the burgeoning global
population and growing needs, these tensions could multiply in the future.
4. Biodiversity loss
Water scarcity has different negative impacts on rivers, lakes, and other freshwater
resources. It harms the environment in several ways including increased salinity,
nutrient pollution, and the loss of floodplains and wetlands. Ecosystems and biodiversity
(e.g. freshwater fish) are threatened by the scarcity of water resources.
06. Prevention
Water scarcityprevention
There are ways to save water and prevent water scarcity:

1. Sustainable water management

Improving water infrastructure must be a priority, as water conservation and efficiency
are key components of sustainable water management. Solar desalination and smart
irrigation systems are great examples of clean technology for water efficiency and
control. That obviously applies even more to the agriculture and farming sector - the
largest consumer of water.

2. Reclaimed water
Rainwater harvesting and recycled wastewater also allow to reduce scarcity and ease
pressures on groundwater and other natural water bodies. Groundwater recharge, that
allows water moving from surface water to groundwater, is a well-known process to
prevent water scarcity.

3. Pollution control & better sewage treatment

Without proper sanitation, the water becomes full of diseases and unsafe to drink. That
is why addressing pollution, measuring and monitoring water quality is essential.
Besides, improving the sewage systems in specific areas is another way to prevent
water scarcity from becoming any worse.

4. Awareness & Education

Education is critical to solve the water crisis. In fact, in order to cope with future water
scarcity, it is necessary to radically reform all forms of consumption, from individual use
to the supply chains of large companies.
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