How cities run dry

Increasing temperatures, accelerated evaporation, and unpredictable shifts in rain and snow patterns have made urban water sources increasingly unstable. These factors, coupled with unsustainable water consumption, have pushed cities around the globe closer to Day Zero, when water supply would be depleted and taps would run dry. Some cities are turning to water restrictions to get back on track. But understanding which of these stressors is having the biggest impact on each water system is the cornerstone for creating solutions.

Tanya Petach is a Climate Science Fellow at Aspen Global Change Institute. Kaitlin Sullivan is a freelance journalist. She covers health, science, and the environment.