Summary
Water wars have already begun, but not all involve armed conflict. The Pacific Institute recorded 420 incidents of water-related violence worldwide in 2024, including attacks on water infrastructure, disputes over access, and the deliberate use of water as a weapon. Beyond warfare, drought, pollution, groundwater depletion, and growing industrial demand are fueling disputes over water supplies in the United States and around the world.
Key Takeaways
- Water-related violence is rising. The Pacific Institute recorded 420 incidents worldwide in 2024, up 78% from 2022.
- Wars are damaging water supplies. Conflicts in Sudan and Ukraine have disrupted drinking-water systems and endangered civilians.
- America's water disputes are growing. Colorado River negotiations, Arizona groundwater lawsuits, and industrial demand are fueling fights over water access.
- Data centers are consuming more water. U.S. facilities used an estimated 17 billion gallons directly in 2023, up from 5.6 billion in 2014.
- Water rationing is already affecting U.S. territories. More than 180,000 Puerto Rican water customers faced planned 48-hour service interruptions in 2026.
Water Is the New Oil and the Fight for It Has Already Started
Oil has shaped economies, alliances, conflicts, and national security for generations.
Water can create similar struggles over access and control, with one critical difference: We can survive without oil. We cannot survive without water.
Every country needs water to grow food, produce energy, run factories, and support its population.
When access is threatened, the consequences reach far beyond the price of a resource.
And the conflicts are already happening.
The Pacific Institute documented 420 incidents of water-related violence worldwide in 2024, nearly 20% more than in 2023 and 78% more than in 2022. [1]
Compare that to the year 2000, when the organization recorded just 24 incidents. [1]
The institute tracks 3 kinds of events:
- Violence triggered by disputes over water
- Attacks that damage water infrastructure
- Deliberate use of water as a weapon
In its November 2025 analysis, the institute reported that 61% of incidents in 2024 involved attacks on water infrastructure, 34% stemmed from disputes over access or control, and 5% involved water being used as a weapon. [1]
These are not all wars between countries.
Many involve communities, armed groups, or attacks on water systems during existing conflicts.
But the increase is substantial.
Water is no longer just a resource countries must manage.
In some parts of the world, it has become something people are fighting over, fighting to protect, or deliberately denying to others.
Water Systems Are Becoming Targets and Casualties of War
A military attack does not have to destroy a city's homes to make it difficult for people to remain there.
Damaging the systems that deliver clean water can have consequences across an entire population.
Some attacks deliberately target water supplies.
In other cases, water systems are damaged during wider fighting, even when denying civilians water is not the stated objective.
Both can leave communities without safe drinking water.
Sudan's War Has Damaged Water Systems and Fueled Disease Outbreaks
Sudan's civil war has devastated essential water services.
A Geneva Academy report recently documented attacks on reservoirs, water-treatment plants, and distribution networks, particularly in Darfur. [2]
The breakdown of water and sanitation services has contributed to cholera outbreaks and worsening food insecurity.
The country's conflict has displaced millions of people, many of whom must rely on emergency water distribution in areas already struggling to support large populations.
Here, the danger is not simply that water is scarce. The infrastructure needed to make it safe and deliver it has been damaged during war.
Ukraine Shows How Attacks on Power Systems Can Disrupt Water Supplies
In Ukraine, attacks on electricity and water infrastructure have disrupted service across communities.
Strikes have reduced electricity generation, affecting water supply and heating. In August 2026, attacks in Kherson cut water supplies to entire neighborhoods. [2]
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in June 2023 affected more than 100,000 people, and it's estimated that roughly 10 million people lacked reliable access to safe water. [2]
The Gulf presents another vulnerability.
According to Al Jazeera, desalination supplies approximately 99% of Qatar's drinking water and more than 90% of Bahrain's.
Facilities in several Gulf countries were damaged during the war involving Iran, although the reported effects on water supplies were largely limited. [2]
That dependence makes desalination plants critical infrastructure during a military conflict.
A Country Doesn't Have to Be at War to Face a Water Crisis
War is one way people lose access to water. Mismanagement, excessive withdrawals, pollution, and failing infrastructure can also push communities toward a crisis.
And when those problems continue without relief, public anger can turn into unrest.
Tehran's Water Crisis Raised the Possibility of Evacuating Millions
In November 2025, Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, warned that Tehran could face water rationing and potentially even evacuation if rainfall did not improve.
The warning came during Iran's sixth consecutive year of drought.
19 dams across the country were filled to less than 5% capacity. The 5 major dams supplying Tehran averaged approximately 10% capacity. [3]
Iran's agricultural policies had also placed enormous demands on available supplies.
Agriculture accounted for roughly 90% of the country's water use, while household consumption represented less than 8%.
Authorities urged residents to conserve water and discussed shutting supplies off at night. Residents had already reported unannounced interruptions. [3]
The evacuation was a warning, not a completed event.
But it showed how seriously authorities viewed the possibility of a major city losing reliable access to water.
Guadalajara's Fight for Clean Water Has Turned Violent
In Guadalajara, Mexico, residents faced a different problem.
Water was reaching some homes, but residents complained that it was discolored, foul-smelling, and potentially unsafe.
Reporting by EL PAÍS described growing concern over the quality of the metropolitan area's water supply and the possibility that roughly 944,000 people could be affected by service reductions. [4]
On October 11, residents gathered outside the Jalisco governor's residence to demand clean water.
The protest escalated into clashes with police.
According to Proceso, officers used water cannons, tear gas, and stun devices to disperse demonstrators after some protesters removed barriers. Some demonstrators threw dirt, rocks, and other objects at police. [5]
Residents told reporters that the water sometimes smelled like sewage and that service interruptions had become common.
What began as a demand for safe household water had become a violent confrontation.
Guadalajara shows that water conflict does not always begin when a reservoir runs dry. It can begin when people no longer trust the water coming from their taps.
The Fight Over America's Water Is Already Underway
The United States is not experiencing the kind of armed water conflicts seen in Sudan or Ukraine.
But Americans are already involved in serious disputes over how much water is available, who can use it, and who must cut back when supplies fall.
These disputes are primarily being fought through lawsuits, negotiations, water-rights agreements, and government decisions—not armed violence.
But the outcome can still determine whether communities have enough water for homes, farms, and businesses.
7 States and Mexico Depend on an Overstretched Colorado River
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across 7 U.S. states, tribal nations, and Mexico.
It also supports agriculture and generates electricity.
For decades, the river has been asked to provide more water than it can reliably deliver.
A May 2026 Congressional Research Service report found that the original agreements and infrastructure plans were based on assumptions about water availability that have not matched long-term conditions. Declining flows and continued demand have put the system's major reservoirs under pressure. [6]
In July 2026, federal officials proposed a plan that could require Arizona, California, and Nevada to reduce their combined annual use by as much as 3 million acre-feet through 2036.
That amount is roughly equal to the water Arizona and Nevada receive from the river combined. [7]
The proposed reductions could affect cities, agriculture, and tribal communities. The states had struggled to reach a shared agreement, and disputes over longstanding water rights complicated negotiations.
Those negotiations are about more than conservation.
They determine which communities and industries will receive less water when the river cannot meet every demand.
Arizona Is Suing a Saudi-Owned Farming Operation over Groundwater Pumping
In Arizona, the dispute involves water beneath the ground.
The state's attorney general filed a lawsuit against Fondomonte Arizona LLC, a Saudi-owned agricultural operation that grows alfalfa.
The lawsuit alleges that the company significantly increased groundwater pumping in the Ranegras Plain Basin beginning in 2014.
According to the state, that pumping has contributed to nearby wells running dry, declining water quality, and land subsidence. [8]
In May 2026, a judge denied the company's request to pause the lawsuit, allowing the case to continue.
The ruling did not establish that Fondomonte caused the alleged damage. Those claims remain part of ongoing litigation.
But the dispute raises an important question about groundwater access: How should a state balance large agricultural withdrawals against the needs of people whose wells may be affected?
Corpus Christi's Water Crisis Is Pitting Residential Needs Against Industry
Corpus Christi, Texas, is home to major refineries and petrochemical facilities.
Those industries are important to the local economy, but they also require large amounts of water.
According to an April 2026 Associated Press report, major industrial customers use as much as 60% of the city's water supply. [9]
Years of drought had depleted local reservoirs, leaving officials searching for additional supplies and considering difficult restrictions.
The city faced the possibility of shortages affecting both residents and industrial operations.
Industry is also subject to conservation requirements, and the dispute is not simply a matter of businesses receiving unlimited water while households are denied service.
The challenge is that both depend on the same strained system.
When supplies fall, officials must weigh residential needs, jobs, industrial operations, and the cost of developing new water sources.
Those decisions can determine how much water remains available to the people who live there.
Growing Demand Is Putting More Pressure on Water Supplies
Existing water disputes are already difficult to resolve. New industrial demand and continued groundwater depletion could make them harder.
AI Data Centers Are Using More Water for Cooling
Artificial intelligence requires enormous computing capacity, and the facilities supporting it generate heat.
Some data centers use water-based cooling systems to keep equipment operating.
According to a July 2026 Congressional Research Service report, one study estimated that U.S. data centers directly consumed approximately 17 billion gallons of water in 2023, compared with 5.6 billion gallons in 2014. [10]
Water consumption varies considerably by facility size, cooling technology, climate, and operating practices. Data centers also have indirect water demands through electricity generation.
The concern is especially significant when a large facility seeks water in an area already facing supply constraints.
A data center can bring investment and jobs, but local officials still have to determine where its water will come from, whether existing infrastructure can support it, and how its demand might affect other users.
The question is not whether every data center threatens a community's water supply.
It is whether a particular community can support additional industrial demand without compromising its existing needs.
The Ogallala Aquifer Supports Farming across 8 States
Agriculture places another major demand on American groundwater.
The Ogallala Aquifer extends beneath parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.
It supports farming and communities across the High Plains, where groundwater is especially important during periods of limited rainfall.
The 2024 Ogallala Aquifer Summit brought together agricultural producers, researchers, and water-management experts to discuss groundwater challenges and ways to sustain the resource. [11]
In areas where groundwater is withdrawn faster than it can be replenished, continued pumping can reduce the amount available for future use.
That has consequences beyond individual farms.
Agricultural production depends on reliable water.
Declining groundwater supplies can force producers to change crops, reduce irrigation, or reconsider how land is used.
Water shortages can therefore become food-production problems, even when the people buying that food live far from the affected farms.
Puerto Rico Shows What Water Rationing Means for American Households
The global struggle over water can seem distant until a community begins scheduling when its residents are allowed to receive it.
In August 2026, Puerto Rico announced water rationing measures affecting San Juan and other major cities.
The Associated Press reported that more than 180,000 customers would be affected by rotating schedules that could leave households without running water for 48 hours at a time. [12]
The restrictions came as drought worsened longstanding problems with the territory's water infrastructure.
Water trucks were expected to prioritize hospitals and residences for older people.
For households, losing running water creates immediate problems.
Families need it to drink, cook, prepare infant formula, wash dishes, bathe, clean wounds, and flush toilets.
People who depend on medical equipment or require additional hygiene assistance may face even greater difficulties.
Buying bottled water is not always a simple solution.
Large containers are heavy, delivery can be limited, and some residents may be unable to travel to distribution points.
Puerto Rico's rationing plans show how quickly a water-supply problem can become a household emergency.
Build a Water Supply Your Family Can Rely On
You cannot resolve an international water conflict, replenish a depleted aquifer, or repair a municipal water system yourself.
But you can prepare your household to function when normal service is interrupted.
Store Enough Water for More Than a Few Days
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person per day for 3 days, with a 2-week supply preferred when possible. [13]
That is a starting point for drinking and basic sanitation. Hot weather, illness, pregnancy, and other household needs may require more.
For a family of 4, a 2-week supply means storing at least 56 gallons of water.
Use food-grade containers and keep them away from direct sunlight, excessive heat, and chemicals.
Have a Plan for When Your Stored Water Runs Out
Stored water gives you an immediate reserve, but a longer disruption creates another problem.
Where will your next supply come from?
You may need to collect water from an emergency distribution site or another available source.
That means having containers you can transport, a way to replenish your supply, and a plan for making questionable water safe to drink.
Water treatment depends on the problem.
Boiling can kill many disease-causing organisms, but it cannot remove heavy metals, salt, or many chemical contaminants.
Water filters also vary in what they can remove.
Make Sure Your Water Plan Works without Electricity
A water emergency can happen alongside a power outage.
Electric well pumps may stop working. Municipal pumping and treatment facilities can lose power. Some household filtration systems also require electricity.
That makes it important to have a way to access and treat water without relying on the grid.
Build More Than One Way to Access Safe Drinking Water
No single water product solves every emergency. Stored drinking water helps when the tap stops working. Filtration can help when you have access to a suitable water source. Portable systems become important if you have to leave home.
My Patriot Supply offers several options for building those layers of protection.
For immediate drinking water and larger storage:
- Ready Hour Emergency Drinking Water Pouches provide prepackaged drinking water with a 5-year shelf life. They require no filtration or preparation, making them useful when you need water immediately.
- The Emergency Drinking Water Treatment & Storage Kit includes a Water Bank that can hold up to 65 gallons, chlorine dioxide treatment, and a collapsible five-gallon container for collecting or transporting water.
For filtering water at home:
- The Alexapure Pro Water Filtration System uses gravity to filter water without electricity or plumbing. According to My Patriot Supply, it has undergone independent laboratory testing for more than 220 contaminants across 12 categories, including heavy metals, pesticides, PFAS, and waterborne pathogens.
- The Alexapure Pitcher Water Filter offers a smaller, 10-cup option that requires no installation. Its dual-filter system is designed to reduce chlorine, lead, PFAS, microplastics, and other contaminants, with up to 100 gallons of filtration per filter set.
For travel, evacuation, and emergency kits:
- The Aquamira G2O Water Filtration Bottle allows you to filter water from suitable freshwater sources without pumping. Its replaceable filter is rated for up to 120 gallons and is designed to reduce bacteria, protozoa, viruses, sediment, and certain chemicals affecting taste and odor.
- The Survival Straw Personal Water Filter is a compact backup for a vehicle or evacuation kit. It is rated to reduce 99.99% of waterborne bacteria and 99.95% of parasites, with a filtration capacity of up to 300 gallons.
For treating questionable water:
- Chlorine Dioxide Water Treatment Drops use a 2-part formula designed to treat up to 60 gallons of water, helping address microbial contamination in stored water and suitable freshwater sources.
- Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets provide a compact chemical treatment option for untreated water when carrying a larger filtration system is impractical. Follow the product directions for dosage, contact time, and treatment limitations.
If your household lost access to running water for a week, would you have enough stored water and a reliable way to replenish it?
Let us know in the comments below.
In liberty,
Elizabeth Anderson
Preparedness Advisor, My Patriot Supply
Sources
[1] Pacific Institute.Pacific Institute Analysis Finds Surge in Reported Water-Related Violence. November 11, 2025. https://pacinst.org/announcement/pacific-institute-analysis-finds-surge-in-reported-water-related-violence/
[2] Al Jazeera.Where Water Conflicts Pose the Biggest Threat in 2026. August 23, 2026. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/23/where-water-conflicts-pose-the-biggest-threat-in-2026
[3] Al Jazeera.As the Dams Feeding Tehran Run Dry, Iran Struggles With a Dire Water Crisis. November 12, 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/12/as-the-dams-feeding-tehran-run-dry-iran-struggles-with-a-dire-water-crisis
[4] EL PAÍS.La crisis por el agua sucia y maloliente en Guadalajara escala. October 8, 2026. https://elpais.com/mexico/2026-10-08/la-crisis-por-el-agua-sucia-y-maloliente-en-guadalajara-escala-mis-vecinos-y-yo-estamos-enfermando.html
[5] Proceso.Chorros de agua a presión, gas y bombas aturdidoras contra protesta por agua limpia en Guadalajara. October 11, 2026. https://www.proceso.com.mx/nacional/estados/2026/10/11/chorros-de-agua-a-presion-gas-y-bombas-aturdidoras-contra-protesta-por-agua-limpia-en-guadalajara-381
[6] Congressional Research Service.Management of the Colorado River: Water Allocations, Drought, and the Federal Role. May 18, 2026. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R45546.html
[7] Associated Press.Arizona, California and Nevada Would Share Cuts Under Federal Proposal to Manage the Colorado River. July 31, 2026. URL not yet verified.
[8] Arizona Attorney General's Office.Attorney General Mayes Wins Ruling to Keep Public Nuisance Lawsuit Against Fondomonte Moving Forward. May 15, 2026. https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-wins-ruling-keep-public-nuisance-lawsuit-against-fondomonte
[9] Associated Press.Years of Drought Has Major Energy Port of Corpus Christi, Texas, Wrestling With Water Crisis. April 12, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/corpus-christi-texas-water-shortage-oil-gas-1d9577698f394e83335f1ed5c16cef6d
[10] Congressional Research Service.Data Centers and Water: Frequently Asked Questions. July 31, 2026. https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/R49057.html
[11] Drought.gov.2024 Ogallala Aquifer Summit Summary Report: Building Trust, Mobilizing Collaboration. https://www.drought.gov/documents/2024-ogallala-aquifer-summit-summary-report
[12] Associated Press.Puerto Rican Cities Hit With Water Rationing Measures as Record Dry Conditions Persist. August 5, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-water-rationing-drought-shortage-901a4855761bb0ad188230960be25d73
[13] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to Create and Store an Emergency Water Supply. https://www.cdc.gov/water-emergency/about/how-to-create-and-store-an-emergency-water-supply.html
