What does water insecurity indicate?

Water insecurity indicates a situation where there is inadequate water availability for health and livelihoods. This means that communities or populations face challenges in accessing sufficient quantities of safe water for drinking, sanitation, agriculture, and other essential uses. Water insecurity can lead to negative health outcomes, such as the spread of waterborne diseases, and can impact food security due to insufficient irrigation for crops.

In contrast, guaranteed access to clean water for all reflects a condition of water security, which is the opposite of insecurity. A reliable water supply across all regions implies consistent and equitable access, which also does not align with the concept of insecurity. Excessive water quality standards pertain to regulatory measures to ensure water safety, but they do not address the fundamental issue of availability. Thus, the focus on health and livelihoods in the context of inadequate water availability captures the essence of water insecurity effectively.