Africa-Press. Social media users reacted to the UN warning about the world entering a phase of “water bankruptcy”, after a UN report revealed that one in four people, more than 2 billion people, consume unsafe drinking water.
The UN report stated that the world is no longer just experiencing a minor shortage or deficit of water, but has officially entered a much more dangerous phase called the “era of water bankruptcy.”
This alarming classification is due to the fact that water resources have been depleted and a huge portion of hydrological systems may never be restored, warning that the day may come when people turn on the tap and no water flows.
The report revealed that water systems composed of snow, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and groundwater have experienced unprecedented decline: rivers are drying up, glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, and groundwater levels are falling, resulting in drying soil and collapsing surfaces, with large craters already observed in North Africa, the Middle East, and the southern United States.
The UN report identified climate change as the primary culprit, noting that half of the Great Lakes have seen massive declines in surface water, and one-third of the world’s ice has completely melted.
But nature is not solely responsible: 70% of the largest underground aquifers have been depleted by humans, and over 400 million hectares of wetlands have disappeared due to excessive water withdrawal for agriculture and industry.
Repeating Previous Warnings
The episode of the program “Shabakat” (2026/1/22) highlighted a division among social media users: some viewed the warning as a repetition of past alerts without concrete action, others blamed poor countries for the crisis, while some demanded urgent practical solutions.
Activist Abdel Rahim remarked that this is not new:
“This is not new or surprising. For decades, scientists have warned about excessive water use and pollution, yet we humans continue to ignore it, and we have not taken radical measures to protect remaining resources—we just keep issuing warnings.”
Activist Salam noted that poor populations will be the first victims:
“Of course, the poor will be the first victims, because major powers have for years exploited seawater and built massive desalination infrastructures, while we remain shocked only by their reports.”
User Ayman blamed humans despite climate change impacts:
“Climate change has greatly affected water sources, that’s true, but we humans continue destroying what remains for our own interests. The day will come when we wish for a single drop, and the stupidity is waiting for rain that can no longer restore destroyed lands. This is a disaster.”
Finally, Nada called for practical solutions instead of waiting for thirst:
“And then what? No solutions? Do we just wait for thirst? There are certainly solutions, our countries need to implement them instead of conflicts, or we will all die because of the drought.”
Practically, experts noted that it is still possible to save what can be saved, provided water use is rationalized, innovative water-efficient farming systems are developed, and rainwater and wastewater are recycled.
