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Our Freshwater Is At Risk
Our freshwater supply is finite – theris is not new water – and it is under Freshwater is under unprecedented pressure. —From water scarcity, pollution, rising demand, aging infrastructure, invasve species and climate change are pushing our water systems to the brink.
Such stressors impact our economy, our health and our environment.
So, how do we protect, and better manage, this vital, shared resource for future generations?
The time to act is now.
THE FRESHWATER CRISIS IN FOCUS
There is a high and growing demand for freshwater, but the supply and quality of this critical resource is under serious threat. As a result, it is causing energy, industry, agriculture insecurity, and a public health crisis.
WATER SCARCITY: AN ECONOMIC CRISIS
Water scarcity is no longer just an environmental issue, it’s an economic crisis with far-reaching consequences for industries, governments, and communities – and a growing national security issue.
WATER POLLUTION: A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
From toxic algae blooms to microplastics to pharmaceuticals, freshwater ecosystems are under increasing threat of pollution, and our health is increasibly at risk.
FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE
In many cities and towns, the hidden network of pipes that bring safely treated water to your tap at home are leaking, breaking, and failing. What does this mean for freshwater resources?
GROWING DEMAND
Water is not only critical for life – it’s also part of everything we use and consume. As the world’s population grows, the demand for freshwater increases. But water is a finite resource. How can we take action to conserve it?
A CHANGING CLIMATE
If climate change is the shark, water is the teeth”, climate expert James P. Bruce once said. Rising temperatures, extreme weather, and prolonged droughts are having a destructive impact on lakes, rivers, and streams.