Water
The world runs on water. Clean, reliable water supplies are vital for industry, agriculture, and energy production. Every community and ecosystem on Earth depends on water for sanitation, hygiene, and daily survival.
Yet the world’s water systems face formidable threats. More than a billion people currently live in water-scarce regions, and as many as 3.5 billion could experience water scarcity by 2025. Increasing pollution degrades freshwater and coastal aquatic ecosystems. And climate change is poised to shift precipitation patterns and speed glacial melt, altering water supplies and intensifying floods and drought.
WRI works with businesses, governments, and civil society to ensure a water-secure future. We seek to address both water quantity and quality challenges.
Our Aqueduct project uses the most up-to-date data to produce global water risk maps, allowing stakeholders to assess current and future challenges. We conduct economic and other analyses to identify the most cost-effective strategies to reduce water pollution. And we identify solutions—such as restoring ecosystem services—to alleviate stresses on the world’s water supplies.
Top Water Outcomes
What's a top outcome?
Top outcomes are WRI's biggest success stories. They occur when our analysis, solutions, or partnerships result in significant change in the world.
-
2018
-
2017
-
2015
-
2014
Featured Expert

Betsy Otto
Aqueduct
New in Water
All
Water Projects
Corporate Water Stewardship
-
Corporate Water Stewardship
Advancing sustainable water management in the private sector by driving innovation in water-related data, tools and strategies.
Natural Infrastructure for Water
-
Natural Infrastructure for Water
We empower governments, businesses, utilities, and communities to enhance water security by investing in “natural infrastructure,” like forests and wetlands, as part of a portfolio of smart solutions to growing water challenges.
Water Quality
-
Water Quality Targeting
Providing guidance on how to better target agricultural conservation in the United States, to cost-effectively achieve measurable improvements in water quality.
-
Eutrophication and Hypoxia
Mapping, sharing data, and growing awareness on eutrophication and hypoxia around the globe.
-
Water Quality Trading
Advancing voluntary and market-based solutions for improving water quality in a manner that maximizes economic efficiency and maintains environmental integrity.
Coastal Ecosystems
-
Reefs at Risk
Raising awareness of threats to coral reefs and providing information and tools to manage coastal habitats more effectively.
-
Coastal Capital: Economic Valuation of Coastal Ecosystems in the Caribbean
Supporting the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems by quantifying their economic value.
Experts
-
Betsy Otto
Global Director, Water -
Craig Hanson
Vice President for Food, Forest, Water & the Ocean -
Helen Ding
Environmental Economist -
Charles Iceland
Director, Global and National Water Initiatives -
Yuan Wang
Research Assistant and Program Coordinator, Water, WRI China -
Suzanne Ozment
Senior Associate, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
Leah Schleifer
Communications Specialist -
Todd Gartner
Director, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Namrata Ginoya
Senior Project Associate, Climate Resilience, WRI India -
Sara Walker
Senior Manager, Water Quality and Agriculture -
Eliza L. Swedenborg
Associate I -
Tianyi Luo
Senior Manager, Water -
Samantha Kuzma
Associate, Water Program -
Juan-Carlos Altamirano
Economist -
Rutger Willem Hofste
Associate -
Jiao Wang
Associate II, Water, WRI China -
James Mulligan
Senior Associate -
Colin Strong
Research Analyst I -
Zablon Adane
Associate -
Afiya Anyabwile
Communications Intern, Water Program -
Beth Bahs-Ahern
Senior Operations Manager -
Samrat Basak
Director, Urban Water, WRI India -
Francesca Battistelli
Associate, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
Lisa Beyer
Urban Water Infrastructure Manager -
Laura Bulbena
Intern, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
Se Jong Cho
Postdoctoral Research Fellow -
Sod-Erdene Davaadorj
Grants & Finance Specialist II, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Maggie Gonzalez
Research Analyst II -
Erin Gray
Associate III -
Meredith Hess
Grants and Finance Coordinator, Water Program -
Mai Ichihara
Associate, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
John-Rob Pool
Implementation Manager, Cities4Forests, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Alex Rudee
Research Analyst II, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Sarah Stettner
Executive Assistant, Food, Forests, Water and Ocean Programs -
Cayla Whiteside
Aqueduct Intern