AI as another resource in the search for answers to the water scarcity crisis

Water scarcity – an increasingly important topic of conversation as countries across the Middle and East and Africa grapple with rising concerns around future water shortages, which not surprisingly often results in civil unrest. Currently the Middle East and North Africa is the most water-scarce region in the world, according to the United Nations. With at least 17 countries well below the water line, water is being consumed faster than it can be replenished. Only a year ago, the City of Cape Town was in the headlines with a forecasted Day Zero where the city's taps would be turned off in order to preserve the remaining water supply (13.5% of normal) for critical services. Fortunately, the city avoided Day Zero through a combination of water saving measures and well-timed rain.