Drought, heat and mismanagement make getting fresh water an increasingly tough task

By The Associated Press

As the world warms from human-caused climate change, fresh water for drinking, cooking and cleaning is becoming harder to get for many people. That’s because the warming world is leading to erratic rainfall patterns, extreme heat and periods of drought — on top of decades of bad water management and extractive policies around the world. As World Water Day is observed Friday, the United Nations estimates that around 2.2 billion people don’t have access to safely managed drinking water. People struggling to get fresh water told The Associated Press about their struggles and the unreliability of getting clean water.