The Washington metropolitan area’s water supply has long been vulnerable due to its reliance on a single source: the Potomac River.
But the nation’s capital and nearby communities could soon face a greater risk of running out of water, due to climate change and the explosive growth of thirsty data centers, according to a new report.
Water use in the metro area has largely remained steady over the past several decades, even as the population has grown. That trend is changing, with water demand now projected to increase 17 percent by 2050, said the report this month from the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.
By 2050, the risk of a water supply shortfall during an extreme drought could reach 5 percent, compared with a 1 percent risk in 2030, the report found. A shortfall could force utilities to impose restrictions on water use. In a worst case scenario, communities could see drinking water shortages, the report warned.
