Water Scarcity Index (WSI)
The Water Scarcity Index (WSI) aggregates multiple global hydrological indicators into a single, transparent value between 0 and 1. All calculations are performed server-side using open datasets and stored with full historical traceability.
Clean Data. Clear Water.
Current Global WSI
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Underlying Global Indicators
How the WSI Is Calculated
Step 1 — Normalize each indicator
A_norm = A / P S_norm = S / P U_norm = U / 100 G_norm = G / 41
- A — People lacking access to safe drinking water
- S — People facing severe water scarcity ≥ 1 month/year
- U — Agricultural freshwater withdrawals (%)
- G — Groundwater depletion (km³/yr, NASA GRACE)
- P — Global population (UN World Population Prospects)
- 41 km³/yr — GRACE-era global groundwater depletion reference
Step 2 — Weighted aggregation
WSI = (0.25 · A_norm)
+ (0.35 · S_norm)
+ (0.25 · U_norm)
+ (0.15 · G_norm)
The resulting WSI is clamped to the range 0–1 and recorded as a first-class KPI with full historical auditability.
What the WSI Means
| WSI Range | System State | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0.00 – 0.20 | Localized Stress | Water stress exists but remains regionally contained. |
| 0.20 – 0.35 | Structural Pressure | Persistent scarcity affecting hundreds of millions. |
| 0.35 – 0.50 | Severe Global Stress | Billions of people are already affected by water scarcity. Systemic risks emerge across food, energy, and ecosystems. |
| 0.50 – 0.65 | Systemic Instability | Widespread groundwater depletion and chronic supply failures. |
| 0.65 – 0.80 | Extreme Stress | Global water systems operate beyond sustainable limits. |
| 0.80 – 1.00 | Critical Threshold | Irreversible damage risk and humanitarian-scale crises. |