💧Water Conflicts Have Risen 13x Since 2010

What We’re Showing:

This chart tracks the number of water violence incidents per year, as collected by the Pacific Institute’s Water Conflict Chronology database

ℹ️ An incident is recorded when water resources are either a target, trigger, weapon, or casualty in a conflict.

Key Takeaways

Water-related violence is on the rise as wars—both civil and between states—have forces looking to control water sources or damage water infrastructure.

In 2023 there were 248 verified instances of water conflicts, up from less than 20 in 2010.

As active conflict zones (Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Russia-Ukraine, and Israel-Palestine) have increased, so too have intentional attacks on water systems, according to the Pacific Institute.