FreshWater Scarcity

Freshwater Scarcity: insufficient freshwater resources to meet the human or ecological needs of an area.

Manhattan is an island inhabited by millions of people that is surrounded by water - however it is not consumable because of the salt content. An elaborate system of reservoirs & aqueducts provide clean drinking water for the 5 boroughs of the New York City metropolitan area. The billions of gallons used each day can travel as far as 125 miles from the enormous watersheds that feed this urban population! This watershed includes much of the Hudson Valley, areas of the Delaware River watershed, and the Catskill Mountains. Although New York State's climate and environment provide abundant fresh water, drought, population growth, pollution, and wasteful overconsumption are still significant issues that affect the availability of clean, freshwater. Since climate change has major impacts on the water cycle, the quantity and quality of freshwater is impacted in many ways locally and around the world.

Choose your specific issue related to freshwater scarcity below to learn more: