How Does Water Stress Affect the World?

Water is an essential, life-giving resource; however, millions of people do not have accessible, clean drinking water. Moreover, most countries worldwide overuse their available water sources, creating stress on their local and global water supply.

So, what is water stress? Water stress indicates that the demand for safe and accessible water exceeds the supply, meaning that countries worldwide withdraw more water from their water sources annually than those water sources can sustain long-term.1 Increasing population and urbanization strongly affect the strain on water sources.

According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), many countries withdraw up to 80% of their available water supply annually. This pattern of water overuse is not sustainable, and many regions are in crisis as a result. Andrew Steer, president and CEO of World Resources Institute (WRI), claims,

“Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about; its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability.”2

Agriculture accounts for the most global freshwater usage, followed by industry and domestic use. Increasing populations and food demands force farms, fields and other forms of agriculture to use more and more water for irrigation. In addition, water runoff from farms can mix with pesticides and other chemicals, contaminating the surrounding water and the soil. Without appropriate treatment, this agricultural runoff is unsafe.

Water covers approximately 71% of the surface area of the globe; however, only 3% of that is freshwater viable for drinking, agriculture and other human needs.3 Freshwater is found in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater. But surface water must be filtered or otherwise sanitized before human use to prevent harmful waterborne diseases. A lack of clean, accessible water worldwide and the extensive overdrawing from our limited water sources are causing a global water crisis.

The highest water stressed countries include countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) such as Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.4 According to experts, countries in MENA experience higher levels of water crisis because it is a hot, arid climate with minimal rainfall. MENA countries are also often densely populated and require more water than other countries.1 Even high-income, developed regions like Northern America and Europe experience water limitations that stress their natural resources. Numerous countries worldwide are overusing their water supply annually and will feel the effects in the coming years.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes how many people lack access to clean water. According to WHO, 663 million people worldwide do not have safe and accessible drinking water, meaning that unclean water regularly exposes 8% of the world to disease, dehydration and even death due to their water source.5 Polluted water may have chemicals such as lead, arsenic or excessive levels of fluoride or dangerous microorganisms such as rotavirus, cholera, dysentery or human waste. Water pollutants can cause health complications, illness or even death. According to WHO, a staggering “829,000 people die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe drinking-water, sanitation, and hand hygiene.”5


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