As the international community prepares for the 2026 UN Water Conference and the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), a growing body of evidence shows that the global water crisis is increasingly concentrated in cities.
Recent reporting by The Guardian, drawing on multiple data sources, highlights the scale of water stress affecting major urban centres worldwide, with extreme stress observed in cities such as Beijing, New York, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, and Delhi.
According to The Guardian, half of the world’s 100 largest cities are already experiencing high levels of water stress, with water withdrawals for public supply and industry approaching or exceeding available resources in many cases.
The findings reflect a wider pattern. Urban water stress is shaped not only by climate pressures, but also by how water is managed, distributed, and governed as cities grow. Changes in water availability are uneven, with some urban areas experiencing long-term drying trends and others becoming wetter, underscoring the complexity of water security in an urbanising world.
A recent UN report notes that in some regions, water systems are no longer merely “stressed” or in “crisis” – they have entered a state of “bankruptcy,” where past baselines can no longer realistically be restored. This framing underscores the urgency of sustainable, long-term water management and equitable access.
The human implications are significant. About 1.1 billion people live in major metropolitan areas located in regions experiencing strong long-term drying, compared with around 96 million people living in and around cities in regions showing strong wetting trends. Many of the cities facing the most pronounced drying signals are also among the fastest-growing, raising concerns about how future water demand will be met.
Urban growth and rising demand
These pressures are intensifying as urbanisation accelerates. Today, 55 per cent of the world’s population lives in cities, a share projected to reach 68 per cent by 2050. Urban areas are expected to absorb nearly all future population growth, with 96 per cent of this growth occurring in Asia and Africa – regions that already face major water and sanitation deficits.
As cities expand, demand for water is expected to rise sharply. Urban water demand is projected to increase by 50–70 per cent over the next three decades. By 2050, around 1.9 billion urban residents are projected to experience seasonal water shortages, placing unprecedented pressure on water resources and on the systems that deliver water and sanitation services.
At the same time, water stress is closely intertwined with inequality. More than 1.1 billion people currently live in slums worldwide, a number expected to increase by 2 billion over the next 30 years – or 183,000 people every day. In many cities, residents of informal settlements face the greatest barriers to accessing safe and affordable water and sanitation, while urban populations continue to grow.
Cities at the centre of the global water agenda
These realities are already shaping global discussions on water. Earlier this week in Dakar, at a high-level preparatory meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference, UN-Habitat and partners underscored the need for a stronger and more central role for local governments and public water operators in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation.
In parallel, UN-Habitat is mobilising the urban development community through the World Urban Forum. The thirteenth session of the Forum, to be held in Baku in May 2026, will bring together urban experts, local leaders, and practitioners to examine how cities can strengthen water and sanitation services, improve local service delivery, and ensure inclusive access – particularly in rapidly urbanising contexts.
A practical focus of these discussions is how to support the frontline institutions that keep cities running, including water and sanitation utilities. Around 285,000 utilities worldwide are central to delivering SDG 6, yet many remain under-resourced and increasingly exposed to climate shocks.
One proven approach is to scale what already works, such as Water Operators’ Partnerships. Facilitated by UN-Habitat through the Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance, these non-commercial, solidarity-based peer partnerships enable utilities to work together on a “do with, not for” basis, translating commitments into operational improvements and more resilient services.
Taken together, these discussions highlight a central message for WUF13: progress on housing, urban resilience, and equity is inseparable from universal access to safe water and sanitation.
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