The U.S. Geological Survey's National Water Availability Assessment, based on new modeling that combines water quality and use data from 2010 to 2020, finds that roughly 30 million people live in communities with limited surface water supply compared to their water use.
USGS called its assessment "a pioneering scientific overview of water availability that offers first-of-its-kind insights into the balance between water supply and demand."
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Bill Werkheiser, USGS associate director for water resources, suggests that the combined water supply, quality and use data can inform policy to address concerns related to water resources.
Information from the assessment can be accessed at a Data Companion interactive website, which will be updated regularly with information paired with historical data and future projections.
USGS noted that the Data Companion’s modeled data “fills in spatial and temporal gaps in observational data” and works in tandem with its Water Data for the Nation resource.
