water shortage
Not enough water
A water shortage is an insufficient supply of water to meet demand.
Shortages may be temporary—caused by drought or infrastructure failure—or chronic, resulting from overuse, population growth, or climate change.
The city imposed restrictions during the water shortage.
Also called water scarcity.
Reduction of supply
- deficitAmount still owed
- shortfallFailure to reach quota
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
- lackDeficiency or absence
dearth · undersupply · demand · supply · competition · overuse · overconsumption · population
Absence of moisture
- desiccationComplete removal of moisture
- drynessAbsence of moisture
- heatwaveProlonged abnormally high temperatures
- desertificationLand becoming barren, infertile
crop failure · dustbowl · cracked earth · parched · barren · reservoir · river · lake
Distribution of shares
- quotasMandated numerical limits
- restrictionsLimitations on action
- meteringControlled measurement of quantity
- permitsGrants formal authorization
schedule · staggered · apportionment · cutoffs · priority · tanker · standpipe · queue
Serious sudden danger
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- humanitarianHelper of suffering people
- reliefEasing of distress
aid · infrastructure · collapse · desperation · suffering · hardship · distress · turmoil
Productive without waste
- greywaterLight household wastewater
- drip irrigationSlow-release watering method
- xeriscapingLow-irrigation garden design
- native plantsFlora original to area
mulching · recharge · reclamation · recycling · desalination · watershed · catchment · storage
depletion
Reduction of supply
- deficitAmount still owed
- shortfallFailure to reach quota
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
lack · dearth · undersupply · demand · supply · competition · overuse · overconsumption · population · agriculture
aridity
Absence of moisture
- desiccationComplete removal of moisture
- drynessAbsence of moisture
- heatwaveProlonged abnormally high temperatures
desertification · crop failure · dustbowl · cracked earth · parched · barren · reservoir · river · lake · well
allocation
Distribution of shares
- quotasMandated numerical limits
- restrictionsLimitations on action
- meteringControlled measurement of quantity
permits · schedule · staggered · apportionment · cutoffs · priority · tanker · standpipe · queue · ration card
emergency
Serious sudden danger
- disasterSudden ruinous event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- humanitarianHelper of suffering people
relief · aid · infrastructure · collapse · desperation · suffering · hardship · distress · turmoil · unrest
efficiency
Productive without waste
- greywaterLight household wastewater
- drip irrigationSlow-release watering method
- xeriscapingLow-irrigation garden design
native plants · mulching · recharge · reclamation · recycling · desalination · watershed · catchment · storage · cistern
- Droughtdry spell, dry spells, no rain, low rainfall, parched earth
- shortages
- Pasture Problemsovergrazing, weeds, drought, erosion, flooding
- Leningrad Siegeblockade, encirclement, Leningrad, starvation, bread rations
- water resourcesaquifers, aquifer, watersheds, rivers, irrigation systems
- deprivationlack, deprivation, need, want, deficiency
water shortageflood
Overwhelming water overflow
flooding · deluge · inundation · water security · flash flood
water, watery, watered, shortage, watering, underwater, saltwater, waters, freshwater