Expert: We need to reduce our water footprints

Water supplies around the globe are dwindling and in order to tackle the process, industries should consider reducing their ’water footprints’, an expert has urged.

According to Dr David Molden, deputy director of research for the International Water Management Institute, one-third of the world’s population has to deal with water shortages.

Furthermore, there are "ominous signs that this proportion could quickly increase", he told the BBC.

Some good news is that farmers and agricultural sectors in poorer countries are managing their water supplies well by using low-cost drip methods and saving water where possible, he claims.

However, industry still has a along way to go in appreciating the scarcity of water and "action is urgently required on all fronts", Mr Molden states.

"We must invest in the infrastructure and the knowledge systems needed to manage complex water systems for the benefit of all," he concludes.

Last month, Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, claimed that the world is reaching a peak in water supplies and will face shortages of sustainable water in the future.