Water is essential for life, but many cities around the world are facing serious water shortages. Climate change, population growth, and poor water management are putting pressure on these cities’ water supplies.
From major urban centers to smaller cities, these places are struggling to meet their water needs.
1. Beijing, China
By 2012, two-thirds of China’s 669 cities faced water shortages, and over 40% of its waterways were heavily polluted. A 2016 study also found that 67% of China’s glaciers have shrunk, reducing glacial run-off into the Yangtze River by 13.9% since the 1990s, lowering freshwater availability. (ref)
Also, from October 2017 to February 2018, Beijing experienced its longest drought, lasting 116 days, due to rising temperatures disrupting weather patterns. (ref)
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2. Moscow, Russia
Russia has a vast supply of fresh water, with 2 million lakes and 210,000 rivers, accounting for a quarter of the world’s fresh water. Surprisingly, many Russian towns lack access to clean water. Tests show high levels of harmful metals like copper, lead, and zinc in contaminated water sources.
In Moscow, 56% of the water supply doesn’t meet safety standards, affecting its 12 million residents. Both surface and groundwater are also affected. (ref)
3. Bangalore, India
Bangalore faced its worst drinking water crisis in early 2024. The shortage affected everyone—residents, schools, hospitals, offices, and housing societies—all struggling to meet their water needs.
The city requires about 687 million gallons of water daily, with 383 million gallons from the Cauvery River and 172 million gallons from groundwater. This leaves a daily shortfall of about 132 million gallons.
The entire state of Karnataka is also experiencing a severe water crisis that affected various sectors like schools, hospitals, hotels, and fire services due to the gap between demand and supply. (ref)
4. Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City, home to nearly 22 million people, is facing a serious water crisis due to its geography, rapid development, and leaky infrastructure, worsened by climate change.
Years of low rainfall, longer dry spells, and high temperatures have put extra pressure on a water system that can’t keep up with rising demand. As a result, authorities have had to impose major restrictions on water from reservoirs. (ref)
5. London, United Kingdom
Water shortages in the southeast of England are more likely than expected. The Environment Agency warns that the region could run out of water within 25 years.
Thames Water estimates that a severe drought could cost London’s economy $440 million per day, leading to substantial economic, social, and environmental impact. (ref)
6. Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town’s water problems caught everyone’s eye in 2015 and 2018 when the water in its dams dropped to a risky low of nearly 13.5%.
The city was able to avoid a major disaster by saving water and getting lucky with some extra rainfall. But Cape Town is still not completely safe—its dam levels are only around 50%, which is lower than before the drought hit. (ref)
7. São Paulo, Brazil
The worst drought in 80 years hit São Paulo, Brazil, hard. In October 2014, major reservoirs had less than two weeks of drinking water. Schools and health centers closed early, dishes piled up, and restaurants limited restroom access.
Crop production dropped, and with 50% of Brazil’s electricity coming from hydropower, power cuts were coming. Brazil’s Water Regulatory Agency warned that if the drought went on, the state could face an unprecedented collapse. (ref)
8. Cairo, Egypt
Egypt is facing the problem of a shrinking Nile River. In the past 50 years, the river’s flow has decreased by 222 cubic yards per second.
The United Nations predicted that future droughts in eastern Africa could reduce this flow by another 70% by 2100. The country depends on the Nile for water, with about 85% of the water used for agriculture coming from the river. (ref)
9. Jakarta, Indonesia
Jakarta gets 80% of its water from the Jatiluhur Dam on the Citarum River and 20% from the Cisadane and Krukut Rivers. In 2017, about 30% of Jakarta’s population relied on groundwater, but contamination from septic tanks has made this water increasingly unsafe.
Half of the shallow wells are tainted with sewage, and 10% have high levels of iron and manganese. Over-extraction of water has caused the city to sink, and by 2050, 95% of North Jakarta could be underwater.
The city also struggles with a lack of wastewater treatment; only 5% of the area has a sewer system, and 85% of wastewater is dumped directly into water bodies. (ref)
11. Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul is facing a worsening water crisis due to drought, with water levels in three of its ten supply dams dropping nearly 3%. The Büyükçekmece Dam has seen the biggest drop, going from 46.64% to only 3.97% of its water capacity—its lowest level in 11 years.
The city has experienced one of its worst droughts in recent years, resulting in below-average rainfall and above-average temperatures, leading to some dams completely drying up. (ref)
12. Tokyo, Japan
The Kanto Regional Development Bureau reported that only 3.5 inches of rain fell in the upper Tone River area (which flowed to Tokyo Bay), less than half the average of 9 inches.
As a result, the nine dams in the Tone River zone were at 67% of capacity, compared to the usual 80%. An official noted that water levels dropped by 10 million tons a day during the hot late July period in 2023, equivalent to the storage of one small dam. Tokyo is urging residents to save water. (ref)
13. Muscat, Oman
In the Sultanate of Oman, the available water sources are fully used, and developing remote sources would need a lot of money. As a result, users are overly relying on groundwater, leading to yearly water shortages, and saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers. (ref)
Sea water desalination began in Oman in the early 1970s to provide drinking water to Muscat and nearby coastal areas. However, excessive water extraction has caused saltwater intrusion and worsened water quality.
Currently, groundwater depletion is about 0.321 million cubic miles per year. (ref)
14. Miami, Florida
Florida is using water faster than it can be replaced due to growing populations and rising temperatures, even though it’s near major water sources. (ref) One of its coastal cities, Miami, is also struggling with rising sea levels and heavy rainstorms.
Miami gets its drinking water from the Biscayne Aquifer, which is very shallow. It means that while it’s simple for Miami to tap into the aquifer for drinking water, its shallow depth increases the risk of pollution affecting the water supply. (ref)
15. Melbourne, Australia
In 2017, Melbourne Water studied how growing population and worsening droughts from climate change could affect water use. They found that, at worst, demand might exceed supply by 2028, and even in the best case, a water crisis could happen within 50 years.
With the population likely to double by 2065, Melbourne Water noted that there would be more apartments and smaller properties. Some of these changes can help save water, like smaller homes using less water and less outdoor watering in gardens, among others. (ref)
Limassol, Cyprus
According to the World Resources Institute, Cyprus faces very high water stress, among the worst in Europe. (ref) Water levels in the island’s dams and reservoirs have dropped, currently at 43% of capacity compared to 66.3% last year, with some reservoirs below 30%.
Concerns are also growing that the Kouris dam, the largest on the island, could dry up as it nears one-third full. Farmers are predicted to adjust their planting plans since they will get about a third less water than usual. (ref)
Governments and communities around the world are working together to find solutions and protect our most vital resource—water.
Davin is a jack-of-all-trades but has professional training and experience in various home and garden subjects. He leans on other experts when needed and edits and fact-checks all articles.