XPRIZE Water Scarcity

Water scarcity is an escalating global crisis that affects nearly one-fourth of the population, with predictions indicating that by 2030, demand will surpass supply by 40%. This looming crisis is predominantly impacting densely populated coastal cities and is exacerbated by the limited 0.5% of Earth's freshwater that is usable, strained further by rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change. XPRIZE Water Scarcity, a $119 million, 5-year competition, aims to address these challenges by fostering innovative advancements in seawater desalination technology. As 70% of the planet is covered by oceans, which contain over 96% of global water resources, desalination offers a potential solution for transforming abundant seawater into a sustainable freshwater supply. However, existing desalination methods, while mature, have not seen significant innovation since the early 2000s and are often prohibitively expensive and environmentally unsustainable for widespread adoption. The competition is structured into three tracks to tackle these challenges: the development of a new desalination system capable of sustainably producing one million liters of potable water per day, the creation of novel membrane materials to enhance the efficiency and lifespan of reverse osmosis processes, and an ideas competition to reshape the global perception of water's value. Through these efforts, XPRIZE Water Scarcity seeks to catalyze a paradigm shift in desalination technology by making it more robust, affordable, and environmentally sustainable. This initiative not only aims to redefine the landscape of desalination on a global scale but also to ensure broader socio-economic equity and enhance global water management practices, creating a future where clean water is equitably and sustainably abundant.