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What Are Some Water Scarcity Facts?

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Water scarcity facts consist of definitions and statistics that shed light on this worldwide problem. Water scarcity is defined as the the state where there is a shortage of water resources to fulfill the demands of human and ecosystems at the same time. [1] Here are some facts regarding water scarcity: The World Health Organization estimates that there are over 2 billion people who reside in water-stressed countries and at least 2 billion people who drink contaminated water. [2] UNICEF reports that 4 billion people (almost two thirds of the world’s population) experience severe water scarcity at least one month per year and more than 2 billion live in countries where the water supply is inadequate. [3] Water.org estimates that women and girls spend 266 million hours every day finding water and collecting it. [4] This keeps women out of the workforce and girls out of school. Contaminated water can cause numerous medical conditions, including diarrhea. In most parts of the world, diar...
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What Is the Difference Between Physical Water Scarcity and Economic Scarcity?

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Water scarcity can be divided into two main categories: Physical water scarcity is when there is a shortage of water due to ecological conditions in a local area. For example, if there is a drought or another natural cause for the water stress. In other words, there isn’t enough water produced by the land to fulfill the needs of the people who live in that region. Oftentimes, this is from natural causes, but manmade decisions and conditions can compound the issue. [1] Economic water scarcity , according to The Water Project, is when the people don’t have the “monetary means to utilize an adequate source of water. Economic water scarcity is about [an] unequal distribution of resources for many reasons…” [2] Many times, it is a combination of these two types of water scarcity that form the deepest and lasting impact on the people of a region. For example, when people have a limited water supply and a drought occurs, they are often forced to travel for hours to find water, which may be c...
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Is GFA World Working in Countries with Water Scarcity?

In 2022, Concern Worldwide U.S. put together a list of 10 places that ranked at the top of countries with water scarcity or water stress. Other organizations have compiled similar lists, with the order being slightly different or with an additional country or two. These lists include Sudan, Iraq, Nepal, Niger, Burkina Faso, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Lebanon. [1] GFA World is working diligently in Asia and parts of Africa to provide clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. Many of the areas where GFA is active are experiencing water crisis, including the following countries: Bangladesh – More than 1.8 million people lack access to improved water sources, while 36 million do not have sanitation facilities. [2] Myanmar – It is estimated the 10 million people in this country don’t have clean water and 11 million don’t have sanitation facilities. [3] Nepal – Nepal is the second most water-abundant country, but its infrastructure can’t meet the demand of its people. ...
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What Is Water Scarcity?

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Water scarcity is a lack of fresh water to meet the needs of a population. [1] However, answering the question “What is water scarcity?” is much more complicated than that basic definition, and many elements need to be discussed. First, it is important to note that the UN General Assembly has made water availability a high priority for many years. Back in 2010, the UN looked at water scarcity facts and said, “Everyone has the right to sufficient, continuous, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use.” [2] Even so, 2 billion people use a drinking water source that is contaminated with feces, which often results in disease. [3] What is water scarcity? The Causes. There are two types of water scarcity— physical water scarcity and economic. These types of scarcity can have many causes. The demand may be greater than the supply, the infrastructure may be lacking or institutions may not be balancing the needs of those in the community. Th...
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What Are Some Water Scarcity Facts?

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Water scarcity facts provided by UN Water include: 2.3 billion people live in water-stressed countries, of which 733 million live in high and critically water-stressed countries 3.2 billion people live in agricultural areas with high to very high water shortages or scarcity, of whom 1.2 billion people—roughly one-sixth of the world’s population—live in severely water-constrained agricultural areas 1.42 billion people—including 450 million children—live in areas of high or extremely high water vulnerability About 4 billion people, representing nearly two-thirds of the global population, experience severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year [1] In addition, women and girls can suffer the most from lack of water because they are often in charge of getting the water for the household. This often takes quite a bit of time for those in rural areas without infrastructure. This leaves them at risk for attack and sexual violence. [2] Globally, 44 percent of household wastewater...
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What Is Physical Water Scarcity?

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Physical water scarcity is when a region’s demand far outpaces its available water supply. This is also known as absolute water scarcity. [1] This most often happens in dry, arid places in the world, though the number of people being affected by this kind of scarcity is increasing due to weather patterns and population increases. United Nations Water explains how water is involved in so many parts of our lives: “Aside from domestic purposes, water is needed across all sectors of society, to produce food, energy, goods and services. These uses also generate wastewater which, if not properly managed, can spread diseases, and introduce excess nutrients and hazardous substances into rivers, lakes and oceans. Ultimately, as ecosystems provide water to society, a significant share of the water needs to stay within the ecosystems for them to remain healthy.” [2] So when a region’s demand exceeds its supply, the lack of water affects the whole ecosystem. Open water sources, such as lakes, riv...
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What Are Some Countries with Water Scarcity?

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Countries with water scarcity include Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, United Arab Emirates, San Marino, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman and Botswana. These countries are ranked as those with “extremely high baseline water stress,” according to the World Resource Institute (WRI). [1] They aren’t the only countries facing this situation, but they are the worst by far. Of these, the Middle East and Northern Africa are the top water-stressed areas in the world. [2] “The region is hot and dry, so water supply is low to begin with, but growing demands have pushed countries further into extreme stress,” WRI reported. [3] The less water a country has, the more it impacts their economic health. In places like south Asia, weather, demand and infrastructure are the biggest stressors to the availability of water. Irrigation for crops puts an incredible draw on both ground water and other water supplies. [4] In the face of these kinds of stresses...
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