World Water Week kicked off this week in the shadow of a frightening reality that nearly one-fourth of the world’s population is living under extreme water stress and in just five years, half the world’s population will live in water-stressed regions, according to the Weather Channel. The dire scenarios circle the globe, from New Mexico to New Delhi.

The misuse of groundwater in Indonesia is so grave that the capital city, Jakarta, is sinking, prompting the president there to move the seat of government to Borneo, as CNN reported.

In light of the pressing need to replenish the world’s clean water systems, the 29th annual World Water Week started in Stockholm with the theme Water for Society: Including all. The event, which aims to draw the world’s attention to water-related challenges around the world, is hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and supported by the United Nations water programs. UN-Water publishes the annual World Water Development Report.

“Many in our societies are not aware of the vital role that water […]