As summer draws to a close across the northern hemisphere, water scarcity has never been a more pressing or visible issue after record heat waves and drought experienced by Americans and Europeans. With hot and unpredictable weather now a reality, and major rivers running dangerously low, WSJ climate and energy editor <a href="https://www.wsj.com/news/author/ed-ballard?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ed Ballard</a> discusses the economics of a water crisis, and what can be done to keep taps running, fields productive and industry humming.

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Further Reading
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/el-nino-is-the-next-risk-hanging-over-the-global-economy-810c4b47?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">El Niño Is the Next Risk Hanging Over the Global Economy</a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/heat-waves-are-becoming-a-chronic-drag-on-the-economy-f5000335?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heat Waves Are Becoming a Chronic Drag on the Economy</a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/clean-water-deep-sea-desalination-technology-731a1577?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">The World Is Running Out of Clean Water. This Technology Promises to Fix It.</a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/climate-environment/san-diego-now-has-so-much-water-that-its-selling-it-527186fb?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">San Diego Now Has So Much Water That It’s Selling It</a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-news-updates-2026/card/why-the-middle-east-s-desalination-plants-are-critical-iPiXNsAQBDn54K38qbVi?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why the Middle East’s Desalination Plants Are Critical</a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/extreme-weather-is-hammering-europes-summer-harvest-eu-says-c607fef0?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Extreme Weather Is Hammering Europe’s Summer Harvest, EU Says </a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/europe-chastised-trumps-climate-rollback-now-its-delaying-its-own-green-goals-835b6724?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Europe Chastised Trump’s Climate Rollback. Now It’s Delaying Its Own Green Goals. </a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/how-to-put-out-wildfires-fueled-by-world-war-ii-ammo-try-driverless-tanks-f69b5d8d?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Put Out Wildfires Fueled by World War II Ammo? Try Driverless Tanks. </a>
<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/climate-environment/water-crisis-deepens-on-the-colorado-river-60588e21?mod=WSJ_WNPOD" target="_self" rel="noopener noreferrer">Water Crisis Deepens on the Colorado River</a> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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