After describing the amount of water available for human use, an important question has to be asked; why is water scarce in some regions and abundant in others? The answer to such a question would be climate. Fresh water availability is mainly determined by climate. To be more specific, the availability of fresh water depends on the timing and the location of precipitation in addition to the evaporative demand, which is a measure of how much moisture the atmosphere can absorb. Evaporative demand is determined by average temperature. In order for this to be further clarified, an example must be given. In the warm and dry climates of the Middle East, precipitation levels are so low and evaporation is so high that only a small amount of fresh water can be captured for human use. In contrast, nations such as Sweden and Iceland, where precipitation levels are high and evaporative demand is low, enjoy abundant water resources.
 

        Another main reason why water can become scarce is the growth of population. As a population of a certain country grows, the number of people competing for water will increase. A lot of competition on water leads into scarcity. Many countries in the world have almost the same amount of water resources. However, not all of these countries provide their citizens the same amount of water. For instance, both Canada and China receive the same amount of precipitation. But with 42 times Canada’s population, China can offer each citizen only 2.2% of the water each Canadian can claim.

        The predicament of water scarcity is that it clearly limits a countries’ ability to maintain public health and develop industry and agriculture. Since water has many uses, and people depend on it for various things, it is always in high demand, which inevitably leads to scarcity. The scarcity of water can lead people to have fewer crops, less industrial production, and less daily water consumption for household uses. All of that will directly lead to both economic and social damages. Water scarcity can damage economies by diminishing the production in both the agricultural and the industrial sectors. When this happens, jobs will be lost and this is by itself has a huge harmful impact on the society. A lost job can drive an entire family into poverty. Poverty, in return, may lead family members to eat and drink unhealthy food and water. Drinking unhealthy food and water leads to health problems, and that’s another way through which water scarcity can lead into social problems.