Clean Water Program Reports
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Executive Summary
Water scarcity is a worldwide issue and will affect an
increasing number of people as the world population grows from the current 6
billion to 9 billion by mid-century. U.N. studies indicate that 2.7 billion
people will face severe water shortages by 2025 if consumption continues at
current rates. [1] Not only
sheer population growth but also urbanization will strain water resources. While historically more people have lived in
the countryside than cities, that trend has been changing, and by 2020, urban
dwellers will outnumber their rural counterparts. [2] As a result of this population density,
municipalities will have increasing difficulty providing sufficient amounts of
water to their residents.
Texas’s
situation mirrors that of the world at large. Its population is expected to
nearly double by mid-century, from 20.8 million in 2000 to 39.6 million in
2050. More and more people are moving to the cities. Urban and rural centers
will clash over allocation of water resources; in fact the growing urban demand
for water will be one of the greatest challenges facing Texas in the future. [3] The
future living standard for Texans, particularly those in the arid western part
of the state, will depend largely on the availability and affordability of
water.
[1] Fen
Montaigne, “Water Pressure” National Geographic September 2002 p. 9.
[2] United
Nations, U.N. International Year of Freshwater, Water for our future: What are the trends?, at http://www.wateryear 2003.org/en/ev (last visited April 1, 2004).
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