Unconventional water resources: Global opportunities and challenges

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Water Resource Management
• Sustainable Development

Background:

• Global water scarcity is a critical challenge impacting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Unconventional Water Resources (UWRs) are increasingly recognized as supplementary water sources requiring specialized treatment.
• A comprehensive review synthesizing existing UWR knowledge was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a nuanced understanding of current research on UWRs.
• To summarize key concepts and assess the global distribution of twelve UWR types.
• To identify limitations and future research needs for UWRs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of UWR research.
• Analysis of publication trends and geographical origins of research.
• Assessment of UWR global distribution based on climatic and geographic factors.

Main Results:

• Significant increase in UWR publications over the last decade, with prominent research from the USA and China.
• Climatic conditions are the primary driver for the applicability of specific UWRs (e.g., iceberg water).
• UWRs show promise but are largely limited by geographic, climatic, economic, and political constraints.

Conclusions:

• UWRs present viable options for enhancing water security.
• Current knowledge on UWRs is incomplete, highlighting the need for further research.
• Future studies should focus on quantifying the potential and demonstrating the socio-economic viability of UWRs for sustainable water provision.