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Complex interplay of water quality and water use affects water scarcity under droughts and heatwaves

Nature Water volume 1, pages 902–904 (2023)Cite this article

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Droughts and heatwaves amplify water scarcity by decreasing water availability, worsening water quality and increasing sectoral water use. These three driving mechanisms interact strongly, but insights into this complex interplay, particularly between water quality and sectoral water use, are urgently needed to unravel the drivers of water scarcity and to identify robust solutions for sustainable water management.

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Fig. 1: Water-source, water-pollution and water-use interactions, leading to higher water scarcity under droughts and heatwaves.

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Acknowledgements

The author was financially supported by the European Union (ERC Starting Grant, B-WEX, Project 101039426) and The Netherlands Scientific Organisation (NWO) by a VIDI grant (VI.Vidi.193.019).

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  1. Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Michelle T. H. van Vliet

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  1. Michelle T. H. van Vliet
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Correspondence to Michelle T. H. van Vliet.

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van Vliet, M.T.H. Complex interplay of water quality and water use affects water scarcity under droughts and heatwaves. Nat Water 1, 902–904 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-023-00158-6

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