Water Supply and Scarcity

According to the United Nations, water scarcity is defined as the point at which the aggregate impact of all users impinges on the supply or quality of water. Water scarcity is a relative concept and can occur at any level of supply or demand. Scarcity may be socially-constructed or the consequence of altered supply patterns stemming from climate change. Resources available in this sub-theme include U.S. drought monitoring data, workshops for rural water supply systems, among other resources that support water supply and scarcity.

Water Supply and Scarcity Resources

National Water Reuse Action Plan

Publication date:
February 1, 2020
This National Water Reuse Action Plan: Collaborative Implementation (Version 1) describes 37 actions, with over 200 implementation milestones, to be taken by various water partners to support consideration of water reuse, which can improve the portfolio of available fresh water.Read more
Regional/Country focus:
North America
United States

2017 Potable Reuse Compendium

Publication date:
January 1, 2018
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The Potable Reuse Compendium provides a technical compilation of the current state of potable water reuse in the United States. Read more
Regional/Country focus:
North America
United States

The Intersectionality of WASH, Climate Change, and the Coronavirus

Publication date:
June 25, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that handwashing is one of the most important actions people can take to end Covid-19. Reliable delivery of safe water and sanitation services around the globe is critical to help prevent the spread of the pandemic. But, there are vast...Read more

Melting Glaciers Could Destabilize Asia

Publication date:
July 13, 2021
This opinion piece argues that climate-induced melting in the Himalayan glaciers will cause water management challenges in Asia. The piece cites the results of a study that shows that the melting of Himalayan glaciers has doubled in the last decade and highlights the already damaging dry seasons in...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Laos

Aquifers and Groundwater

Publication date:
July 21, 2021
A huge amount of water exists in the ground below your feet, and people all over the world make great use of it. But it is only found in usable quantities in certain places underground: aquifers. Most of the void spaces in the rocks below the water table are filled with water. These rocks have...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

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