Available water resources – 2014. Fresh water withdrawals.

Renewable fresh water resources are defined as the annual average flow of rivers and restocking of aquifers resulting from precipitation. This corresponds to the theoretical yearly amount of water actually available to a country at a given moment. Fresh water withdrawals as a percentage of total renewable water resources, give an indication of the pressure on water resources.
Water stress is steadily increasing, as a result either of droughts – a temporary decline in water resources due to low rainfall – or situations of water scarcity, where demand exceeds the level of sustainable use. Assessment of the global use of water resources is hampered by the lack of established standards, and conventional measurements may yield diverging results. The European Environment Agency assessment of pricing of water as a cost-recovery tool and a means to promote
efficient use of resources concluded there was a lack of harmonised concepts accross the EU.