As a result, some 1,1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2,7 billion find water scarce for at least one month of the year. Two million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone. Over two billion people live in countries where water supply is inadequate. The availability of fresh water is rapidly changing all over the world, creating a tenuous future that requires attention from policymakers and the public.
Many of the water systems that keep ecosystems thriving and feed a growing human population have become stressed.