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. 2005 Sep;113(9):A598–A605. doi: 10.1289/ehp.113-a598

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Water scarcity. — Since the 1950s, global demand for water has tripled. Groundwater quantity and quality are declining due to overpumping, runoff from fertilizers and pesticides, and leaking of industrial waste. Half a billion people live in countries defined as water-stressed or water-scarce; by 2025, that figure is expected to surge to between 2.4 billion and 3.4 billion.