The Global Water Scarcity Crisis
Freshwater scarcity has become one of the most critical challenges of the 21st century, driven by rapid population growth, climate change, unsustainable extraction, and increasing pressure on surface water systems. Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs are declining faster than they can recover, while extreme droughts and shifting rainfall patterns are accelerating water insecurity across entire regions. In this context, groundwater has become the planet’s most vital and reliable strategic reserve—a hidden resource that supports agriculture, drinking water supplies, ecosystems, and economic stability. Yet in many parts of the world, aquifers are being depleted or contaminated faster than they can recharge. Identifying, monitoring, and protecting groundwater is therefore essential not only for sustaining life and food production today, but also for securing long-term water resilience in a rapidly changing climate.
We need an AI Essential Quantum system capable of discovering, monitoring, and alerting us about the condition of groundwater and surface water anywhere on the planet.
Key Global Water Numbers
- Only ≈ 2.5% of all water on Earth is freshwater.
- Less than 1% of the planet’s freshwater is easily accessible in rivers, lakes, and surface reservoirs.
- About 30% of the world’s accessible freshwater is stored in underground aquifers.
- Groundwater supplies around 50% of all drinking water worldwide.
- More than 2 billion people currently live in countries experiencing high water stress.
- Global groundwater depletion is estimated at ≈ 150–200 cubic kilometers per year, exceeding natural recharge rates in many regions.
By 2050, water demand is projected to increase by 20–30%, while climate change intensifies drought frequency and duration.
