Water is life. It is the foundation of health, the essence of survival, and the most basic human need. Yet, this lifeline is slipping away for billions of people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to a myriad of health crises.

Water scarcity doesn’t just kill; it debilitates! To understand the gravity of this issue, we must first recognise what water scarcity truly means. It can be categorized into two main types: physical scarcity and economic scarcity. 

Physical scarcity occurs when natural freshwater resources are insufficient to meet demand, often exacerbated by climate change, population growth, and unsustainable consumption patterns. Economic scarcity arises from inadequate infrastructure or governance that prevents access to available water supplies. According to the new report published by UNESCO, on behalf of UN-Water, today 2.2 billion people still live without access to safely managed drinking water and 3.5 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation. A situation worsened by increasing urbanization and industrial demands.

Climate change acts as a significant driver of water scarcity, altering precipitation patterns and increasing the frequency and severity of droughts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that by 2030, up to 700 million people could be displaced due to water shortages. This looming crisis threatens livelihoods and has devastating repercussions for public health.

The Ripple Effects on Global Health

Waterborne Diseases

Water scarcity is a leading driver of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and diarrhoea. These diseases disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, particularly children under five.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), inadequate access to clean water and sanitation results in over 1 million deaths annually, with diarrhoea alone claiming the lives of 297,000 children under five each year. In regions experiencing severe water stress, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 39% of the population has access to safe water, the risk of disease outbreaks is significantly heightened.

Investing in improved water supply and sanitation can yield substantial economic returns; the WHO estimates that every dollar spent can generate up to $4 through increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs. Yet many countries lack the necessary infrastructure to implement these improvements effectively. In South Asia, for instance, erratic monsoon patterns due to climate change create a cycle of flooding followed by droughts, fostering an environment ripe for disease transmission.

Malnutrition and Food Insecurity

The global water crisis is expected to put more than half of the world’s food production at risk within the next 25 years. Demand for fresh water is predicted to outstrip supply by 40% by the end of this decade as water systems face unprecedented strain.

According to the World Resource Institute, one-quarter of the world’s crops are grown in areas where the water supply is highly stressed or unreliable. Currently, 66% of all crop production still comes from rainfed agriculture; however, as climate change fuels longer and more frequent droughts, farmers will find it increasingly challenging to sustain rainfed crops. Alarmingly, 8% of rainfed agriculture faces high to extremely high levels of variation in annual water supply. By 2050, it is projected that 40% more rainfed crops will encounter unreliable water supplies compared to 2020, with significant increases occurring in countries like India, the U.S., Australia, Niger, and China.

This dire situation exacerbates malnutrition, particularly among children, leading to stunting and wasting that can have lifelong consequences.

Mental Health Effects

The psychological toll of water scarcity is often overlooked but significant. Communities facing chronic shortages experience heightened stress and anxiety about securing adequate water for daily needs. According to Climate-ADAPT (2024), this mental health burden disproportionately affects women tasked with water collection and families displaced due to droughts or resource conflicts.

Research conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) found that individuals in areas experiencing severe drought reported higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to those in regions with stable water supplies. The stress associated with unreliable access to clean water can lead to long-term mental health issues within affected communities.

What needs to be done immediately?

To address the urgent health crisis posed by water scarcity, immediate and multifaceted solutions must be implemented. First and foremost, investing in water reuse and recycling technologies is essential. By treating and repurposing wastewater, communities can significantly increase their available water supply, reducing the pressure on already strained resources.

Desalination is another critical solution for coastal regions facing acute water shortages. Advances in desalination technology have made it more efficient and cost-effective, allowing seawater conversion into potable water. 

Governments must implement robust policies that facilitate the development and maintenance of water infrastructure. This includes building and rehabilitating water points in underserved areas to ensure that clean water is accessible to all. 

Finally, international cooperation is vital to share best practices and technologies across borders, ensuring that no region is left behind in the fight against water scarcity. By taking these steps, we can safeguard public health and create resilient communities capable of withstanding future challenges related to water scarcity.

The role of IDRA

In this time of urgent need, organisations like IDRA play a crucial role by promoting sustainable practices alongside raising awareness. 

Through initiatives explicitly focused on improving infrastructure investments while fostering community engagement around best practices related to efficient usage, IDRA aims to empower communities’ long-term sustainability efforts, ensuring equitable distribution amongst all stakeholders.

The upcoming IDRA 2025 Reykjavik Summit on Water and Climate Change, scheduled for October 12-14, 2025, promises to be a vital event in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change and its impact on water scarcity. This summit will gather global leaders, experts, and stakeholders from various sectors to explore innovative solutions and foster collaboration in the fight against water-related health crises, and increasing supply of clean water availability through reuse and desalination.

Water may be life, but it is also a shared responsibility, a commitment we must uphold for a healthier future for all.

For more information on the  IDRA 2025 Reykjavik Summit on Water and Climate Change  visit waterandclimatechange.org

Reference

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https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

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