Water scarcity is a result of an imbalance between the supply of and demand for water sources in a geographical area. A limited or inadequate water supply is one of the toughest issues facing the world's poorest countries, but the populations of these countries are not the only populations to endure the burden of water scarcity. As Levy and Sidel correctly point out, distribution in water-strained settings is the source of numerous conflicts globally. Most dialogues about this topic, either explicitly or implicitly, talk about water stress and conflict as an issue limited to the low- and middle-income tropical or subtropical countries, as most of their examples affirm. As a result, limited literature and discussion exists on the public health effects of water scarcity in wealthier countries or regions such as the United States, Europe, Australia, or the Asia-Pacific where water scarcity threatens regional food security through a number of ecological, political, and economic pathways.
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