In this article, we will look at the 25 Most Water-Stressed Countries in the World.
Global Water Crisis
Global water scarcity is one of the major resource depletion crises in the world. The water demand has more than doubled since 1960 due to a growth in population and urbanization, according to the World Resource Institute (WRI). Countries in the Middle East and North Africa are highly prone to water scarcity, with 83% of their population facing extremely high water stress, consuming over 80% of their water supply. This high consumption leaves the vulnerable groups prone to droughts and water shortages. Some of the economies in the Middle East are the epicenter of water scarcity, which is rapidly intensifying while meeting the demand for domestic, agricultural, and industrial use.
The demand is expected to grow further by 2050 with Sub-Saharan Africa expected to experience a 163% surge in water consumption, dwarfing the 43% increase in Latin America. The water crisis in the Middle East and North Africa is already quite evident and is only going to worsen in the future. The WRI projects that by 2050 over a billion more people will face severe water scarcity, causing an economic loss of $70 trillion. This threat extends to food security with 60% of irrigated agriculture already under extremely high water stress. A joint effort by government bodies is required to build water infrastructure along with innovative water management technologies.
According to the United Nations, 2.2 billion people across the world do not have access to safe drinking water, while a staggering 3.5 billion suffer due to inadequate sanitation. This signifies the urgency to address this crisis, which is further accelerated by the consequences of climate change due to extreme and frequent weather events like floods, droughts, and storms. These events disrupt the water cycle, reduce availability, and also exacerbate water pollution.
Another major risk related to water scarcity is security. Nearly 40% of the total world population lives in transboundary rivers and lake basins. However, only 20% of countries have agreements for the management of shared water resources. This water security risk is more evident in Africa, with 19 out of 22 countries facing water scarcity and sharing two-thirds of freshwater resources across borders.
You can also check out 15 Countries at Risk of Climate Disasters.
Potential Solutions for the Water Crisis
Desalination is one of the potential solutions to freshwater scarcity, especially for coastal regions. It is a process of removing salts and minerals from water. Reverse Osmosis is the most common technology used for desalination, which utilizes a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities from water through applied pressure. A report titled, “The Geopolitics of Seawater Desalination” by IFRI, a thinktank dedicated to international affairs, states that the majority of Gulf countries rely on desalinated water for their residents. In the United Arab Emirates, 42% of drinking water is sourced from desalination plants which produce over 7 million cubic meters per day. Other countries such as Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia also depend heavily on desalinated water. There were nearly 21,000 operational desalination plants across the world. The Middle East is the biggest desalination market in the world and is expected to double by 2030. For instance, Kuwait, UAE, and Bahrain will have double the desalination capacity by 2030.
The Top Water Management Company in the World
To combat the water crisis across the world, efficient water management is necessary. The role of government authorities and the companies working for water stewardship is pertinent to sustainable water consumption practices. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) is a leader in water conservation, quality, and management. The company specializes in water treatment chemicals, water filtration systems, and monitoring and control technologies, among its other key business areas. It serves a wide range of industries and government authorities including but not limited to hotels, hospitals, manufacturing plants, power generation, and retail. Its reach extends to more than 170 countries across the world.
Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) is committed to assisting its customers to conserve 300 billion gallons of water annually, which is the same as the drinking water needs of 1 billion people by 2030. It also aims to restore over 50% of absolute water in water-scarce areas by partnering with locals and organizations. In 2020, it collaborated with a global water and sanitation charity, Water.org to provide sustainable drinking water and improved sanitation to 100,000 people living in poverty in India. It also aimed to contribute over 26.4 million gallons of water to extremely high-stress river basins in Chennai, Mumbai, Konnagar, Delhi, Baroda, Jamshedpur, Kolkata, and Pune, where the company operates. The water conservation leader is also the co-founder of the Water Resilience Coalition, aimed at preserving freshwater resources in water-stressed basins.
Beyond its leadership in sustainability, Ecolab boasts a diverse suite of innovative solutions that provide improved operational efficiency and sustainability to food, healthcare, life sciences, hospitality, and industrial markets. The company provides a holistic approach to water management from advanced water treatment chemicals and cutting-edge equipment for clean water to real-time monitoring technologies. It also provides analysis, and regulatory reports while serving as a consultant to its clients, helping it retain them and also generate revenue from these services. Its program, Ecolab Water for Climate empowers businesses to convert their water conservation commitments into tangible action. The company provides analysis tools such as Smart Water Navigator and Water Flow Intelligence, helping its customers identify and implement water reduction strategies. Moreover, its 3D TRASAR technology provides real-time data for water operations which helps businesses optimize their water usage.
To achieve SDG 6 a global commitment to accessible water quality and sanitation for all, companies would require efficient water treatment and monitoring systems to reduce their water consumption and restore water into watersheds. This positions Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) as a critical partner for industries seeking to minimize their environmental impact. In 2023 alone, all of the Ecolab technologies combined, helped save over 226 billion gallons of water. Moreover, it is poised to leverage the growth of data center and semiconductor industries. Both these industries are energy-intensive and require water for cooling purposes, making Ecolab’s (NYSE:ECL) solutions more essential. These megatrends and climate change commitments have contributed to sustained growth for the company and will continue to do so.
Ecolab’s (NYSE:ECL) expertise to help industries reach water efficiency and sustainable water consumption goals along with the increase in demand for its services solidifies its position in the water management sector. The company ended the first quarter of 2024 with $412.1 million in net income, up 77% from Q1 2023. ECL has gained nearly 34% over the past year.
Now, let’s look at the 25 most water-stressed countries in the world.
Young boy at water pump / well. Samba Diallo, age 7. Sansacoto Village.
Methodology
To compile our list of the 25 most water-stressed countries in the world, we consulted the World Resource Institute (WRI). We utilized the baseline water stress value from its Aqueduct 4.0 2023 rankings to rank the most water-stressed countries. It is the ratio of total water demand to available renewable water supplies. It measures water demand across domestic, industrial, irrigation, and livestock consumptive and non-consumptive uses. A higher baseline water stress value indicates more competition among users. Our list ranks the countries in ascending order based on their baseline water stress values.
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25 Most Water-Stressed Countries in the World
25. Moldova
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.08
Moldova is ranked 25th on our list of the most water-stressed countries in the world. The country suffered its worst drought in 2007, affecting 135,000 people and economic losses of $1 billion. Other significant droughts were in 2020 and 2022.
24. India
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.10
India is home to nearly 18% of the world’s population but has only 4% of the total water resources. It is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world.
23. Iraq
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.14
With the changing climate, water is becoming scarce in Iraq. It has a baseline water stress of 4.14, according to the World Resouce Institute.
22. South Africa
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.16
Excessive use, pollution, inadequate infrastructure, and growing demand are leading to increased water stress in South Africa. It is ranked 22nd on our list.
21. Namibia
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.17
Namibia has undergone multiple national emergencies since 1992 due to extreme drought events. It recorded its worst drought ever over the past 9 decades in 2019. It is the 21st most water-stressed country in the world.
20. Tunisia
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.28
Tunisia is in a continuous grip of droughts, leading to an increased water crisis. Recently, it raised its drinking water prices by 16%, as a response to a drought that has lasted 5 years.
19. Greece
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.33
Greece is ranked 19th on our list of the most water-stressed countries in the world. It has a baseline water stress of 4.33.
18. Belgium
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.41
Belgium has a baseline water stress value of 4.41 and is ranked 18th on our list.
17. San Marino
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.45
San Marino is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. The absence of autonomous water resources and its geographical position are some of the causes of water stress in the country.
16. Chile
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.47
Chile is ranked 16th on our list of the most water-stressed countries. The country has been facing consistent droughts, putting it at risk of running out of water supply by 2040.
15. Jordan
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.62
Jordan is the 15th most water-stressed country in the world. According to the World Resource Institute, it has a baseline water stress value of 4.62.
14. Iran
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.65
Iran has extremely high water stress which is expected to worsen with climate change. Iran is ranked 14th on our list.
13. Botswana
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.66
Botswana suffers from disrupted potable water supply, inadequate water infrastructure, and poor resource management. It is ranked 13th on our list.
12. Yemen
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.69
Yemen faces severe water scarcity, which is further fueled by the Middle East conflict. It has a baseline water stress value of 4.69.
11. Libya
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.81
Overexploitation of water resources in Libya has increased the water stress. It is the 11th most water-stressed country in the world.
10. Egypt
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.85
Egypt is one of the top countries with extremely high water stress. The country is currently facing an annual deficit of nearly 7 billion cubic meters and could run out of water by 2025.
9. Israel
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.94
Israel is ranked 9th on our list of the most water-stressed countries in the world.
8. Saudi Arabia
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.98
Saudi Arabia is among the countries with extremely high water scarcity. The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture aims to meet 90% of the water demand in the country utilizing desalinated water and 10% via ground and surface water by 2030.
7. United Arab Emirates
Baseline Water Stress Value: 4.99
The United Arab Emirates depends on desalinated water to mitigate water scarcity. 42% of its potable water comes from thermal desalination of seawater.
6. Lebanon
Baseline Water Stress Value: 5.0
Lebanon is ranked 6th on our list. According to an assessment by UNICEF in 2021, 70% of people in Lebanon live in highly critical and critical levels of water vulnerability.
5. Bahrain
Baseline Water Stress Value: 5.0
Bahrain also relies on desalinated water to meet its water demand. It is the 5th most water-stressed country in the world.