By the end of the century, the majority of humanity will face a shortage of drinking water

Today, about 55% of the world's population, which is approximately 3.8 billion people, face a shortage of clean drinking water for at least one month of every year. According to scientists, by the end of the 21st century, this figure may increase to 66%.

For the first time, researchers have taken into account not only its volume but also its quality in accordance with environmental standards in assessing global water availability. The results were published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change.

A team of researchers led by Professor Edward Jones of Utrecht University analyzed the current and projected vulnerability of the world's population to water shortages. To do so, they used the detailed hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB to estimate water volumes and the DynQual model to analyze water quality, including data on the concentration of insoluble substances, salts, pathogens, and other pollutants.

The results of the study showed that the actual number of people experiencing a lack of drinking water for at least one month a year was 8% lower, or more than 500 million people, than previously thought. As for those who experience this problem throughout the year, the researchers estimated their number at 710 million, which is twice as high as previous assumptions. They also noted that the most difficult situation with water supply will be in the regions of Southern Africa, while in East Asia, water quality is expected to improve, which may reduce the overall deficit.

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