The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published its State of Global Water Resources report on 18 September. It found that two-thirds of the world’s river basins had either too much or too little water in 2024. It was the sixth year in a row of clear imbalance.
Glaciers lost ice for the third year running. Meanwhile about 3.6 billion people already face inadequate access to water for at least one month a year, a number UN-Water expects to pass 5 billion by 2050.
Water sustains our societies, powers our economies and anchors our ecosystems.
Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General
Why this matters for families
An unpredictable water cycle is hardest on people who already have the least. A late rainy season can empty the village well. A sudden flood can poison it.
The report calls for better monitoring and for countries to share their water data, so that warnings arrive in time.
What better water knowledge changes
- Early warning: time to prepare before floods and droughts hit.
- Planning: smarter storage for the dry months.
- Fairness: help directed to the places that need it most.
How you can help
Share this story and talk about the water cycle with friends and family. Follow organisations working on climate and clean water, and keep asking how your own water is managed.
Source: WAM, “From drought to deluge: WMO report highlights increasingly erratic water cycle”, 18 September 2025; Voice of Nigeria, 18 September 2025.
