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Charting our water future: Economic frameworks to inform decision-making shows that while meeting competing demands for water will be a considerable challenge, it is entirely possible to close the growing gap between water supply and demand. This report provides greater clarity on the scale of the water challenge and how it can be met in an affordable and sustainable manner.

The report offers case studies from four countries with drastically different water issues, which will collectively account for 40 percent of the world’s population, 30 percent of global GDP and 42 percent of projected water demand in 2030: China, India, South Africa and Brazil. The report’s methodology identifies supply- and demand-side measures that could constitute a more cost effective approach to closing the water gap and achieve savings in each country.

Climate change will impact water supplies, exacerbating existing pressures on water resources caused by population and economic growth. Given the combination of these stressors, the sustainability of water resources in future decades is a concern in many parts of the world. This study presents an integration of water withdrawal projections and future estimates of renewable water supply across the United States to assess future water availability in the face of a changing climate. The water demand projections in this work are based on business-as-usual trends in growth, particularly of population and energy demand, and renewable water supply projections are based on the average results of an ensemble of sixteen established climate models. The analysis is performed using annual water use data at the US county level, and using global climate model outputs for temperature and precipitation, both projected 20-40 years into the future. The analysis provides a national-scale evaluation of the results of changing water demand and supply, and helps identify regions that are most susceptible to climate change.

As part of this analysis, a water supply sustainability index composed of five attributes of water use and growth was developed, and used to compare impacts across regions. We found that, under the business-as-usual scenario of demand growth, water supplies in 70% of counties in the US may be at risk to climate change, and approximately one-third of counties may be at high or extreme risk. The geographic extent of potential risk to water supplies is greatly increased when climate change is considered (Figure ES-1). This calculation indicates the increase in risk that affected counties face that water demand will outstrip supplies, if no other remedial actions are taken. To be clear, it is not intended as a prediction that water shortages will occur, but rather where they are more likely to occur. As a result, the pressure on public officials and water users to creatively manage demand and supply--through greater efficiency and realignment among competing uses, and by water recycling and creation of new supplies through treatment--will be greatest in these regions. In addition to developing national-scale maps of potential climate impacts, this work serves as a starting point for more detailed analysis, either at more local scales, or by consideration of specific sectors of the economy that are directly dependent on sustainable water resources.

Climate change will have a significant impact on the sustainability of water supplies in the coming decades. A new analysis, performed by consulting firm Tetra Tech for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), examined the effects of global warming on water supply and demand in the contiguous United States. The study found that more than 1,100 counties—one-third of all counties in the lower 48—will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of global warming. More than 400 of these counties will face extremely high risks of water shortages.

From 2010 to 2015, the U.S. corporate water treatment market is projected to increase from $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion, according to the latest issue of EL Insights. This represents a CAGR of 11.2 percent over that period. 

The latest issue of EL Insights includes original reporting and data on many corporate water management issues, including:

- Projected US Residential Water Treatment Market Value

- Projected Corporate Water Treatment Market Value

- Projected Water Recycling Market Value

- North American Industrial and Municipal Water Reuse Market Value 

Waterwise East has produced the best practice guide, which aims to support developers, housing associations, self-builders and others to deliver water-efficient new developments.

Programme and details of 2010 World Water Week in Stockholm.

This document summarises the main points discussed at the Agriculture and Water roundtable at the GSBQ on 15th June 2010:

• Why climate change is already on the agenda for the agricultural supply chain.
• Producer and consumer engagement
• Planing, timing and finance

The brief argues that water resources management should be systematically integrated into national plans and international investment portfolios. It describes: climate change impacts on water; water resources management under present climate variability; adaptation measures for water managers; and guiding principles for the required investments and policy shifts. These principles include: mainstreaming adaptation within the broader development context; strengthening governance and improving water management; improving and sharing knowledge and information on climate and adaptation measures, and investing in data collection; building long-term resilience through stronger institutions, and investing in infrastructure and in well-functioning ecosystems; investing in cost-effective and adaptive water management as well as technology transfer; and leveraging additional funds through both increased national budgetary allocations and innovative funding mechanisms for adaptation in water management.

This Manifesto sets out the Institution's policies for the next five years to help mitigate and adapt to climate change and other serious environmental threats. The Manifesto includes calls for the creation of a low carbon society, a national programme to retrofit appropriate water and energy saving technologies into the existing housing stock, an end to new airport capacity and environmentally damaging subsidies for the aviation industry and the introduction of a mechanism to halt deforestation globally.

Here's a taste of some of the discussions that took place at our pilot Sustainable Business Quarterly event on 30th March. Participants included several major brands from diverse sectors. 

Those who participated in the Water Roundtable shared their concerns about accurate water footprinting and identifying reliable sources of responsibly grown water-intensive crops, as well as the business case for a seasonal water tariff, employee engagement issues and the role of government on the road to a low-water economy. 

The discussion continues online. If you can help answer any of the questions, your input would be highly valued - here.