Water stress has never been a greater concern in Africa, particularly in North Africa. The average volume of water per person per year barely reaches 1,000 m³, a threshold below which water scarcity is generally considered severe. This fall in freshwater resources is partly linked to the effects of climate change, particularly with regard to rainfall scarcity. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in two health centres in 33 countries in this region is without running water. These include 17 major rivers and 160 lakes, as well as renewable water resources (rainfall) estimated at more than 5,400 billion m3 per year.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 23, 2020 09:11 UTC