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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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What Is Water Scarcity? Understanding the World’s Limitations and Humanity’s Needs.

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In May of 2022, the state of California’s Water Board issued an emergency water conservation regulation “that bans using potable (drinkable) water on decorative or non-functional grass at commercial, industrial, and institutional properties – including areas of nonfunctional turf under homeowners’ association control.” [1] The answer to a question like what is water scarcity looks different for a homeowner in California than a family in sub-Saharan Africa. As United Nations Water points out, physical water scarcity is relative, reporting that, “The amount of water that can be physically accessed varies as supply and demand changes. Water scarcity intensifies as demand increases and/or as water supply is affected by decreasing quantity or quality.” [2] So, what is water scarcity and how can it be addressed? It is the reality of the available water not being able to meet the needs of the population. California is famous for having water shortages and restrictions. The state has reached ...
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Clean Water Christian Organization

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Every two minutes, a water-related disease is responsible for the death of a child under the age of 5. And every minute, a newborn baby dies as a result of contaminated water and poor sanitation. [1] But GFA World, through initiatives for clean water, a Christian organization, is saving lives through its efforts to “serve the least of these”. GFA World believes that access to clean water is a basic human right, and we’re doing everything we can to provide safe, easily-accessible water to people who otherwise suffer—and sometimes die—from waterborne diseases. In 2019, we drilled more than 4,000 Jesus Wells in Asia in areas of great need. Local pastors and churches maintain these wells. GFA World has also supplied tens of thousands BioSand water filters to families in need—12,243 in 2019 alone. Before GFA World drilled a Jesus Well in Garjan’s village, he and his wife didn’t drink enough water because it was so difficult to obtain. [2] Drought regularly dried up their water sources a...
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Clean Water Initiative

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GFA World’s efforts among people in need include a clean water initiative. Simple access to clean water can save millions of people’s lives. While clean water Christian organizations such as GFA World, and organizations like the United Nations and UNICEF, have made substantial progress in providing greater access to clean water and sanitation, billions of people still lack basic services: One in three people don’t have access to safe water to drink, while 40 percent of people don’t have a place to wash their hands with soap and water. [1] Despite progress, even the WHO and UNICEF are struggling to keep up with demand for clean water and sanitation. “The alarming and growing needs continue to outstrip our ability to respond,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “The time has come to dramatically accelerate our efforts to provide every child and family with the most basic needs for their health and wellbeing, including fighting off infectious diseases like COVID-19.” [2] It’s ...
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Clean Water Project

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When people think about a clean water project, they often picture wells or filters that provide communities with safe drinking water. But proper sanitation is also part of the solution. At least 892 million people openly defecate daily, and 2.4 billion people lack toilets or latrines. All of this pollutes nearby water sources. In fact, 80 percent of the world’s water is rendered unclean by human activities (from washing to defecating). [1] Janya and her daughter are one example of those who’ve benefited from GFA World’s clean water project in the form of toilets. [2] Janya and most of her fellow villagers didn’t have private places to relieve themselves. They were forced to go outside at night and risk everything from discomfort during floods in the monsoon season to attacks from wild animals, snakes or cruel men. Children often went in farm fields, which seeped into crops and caused many people to suffer from ailments such as cholera, polio, jaundice and paralysis. The local GFA pasto...
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