GCRI · Water Nexus
Water utilities
A water utility turns raw water into a safe supply at the tap and returns used water to the environment treated. Its performance is measured in continuity, quality, losses and cost, and its failures under heat, drought, flood and power loss are among the most direct ways systemic risk reaches households. This page sets out what a utility depends on, how its state is measured, and what the evidence serves.
Water utilities on the record.
Water utilities: how the risk develops.
Utility asset condition and continuity during outages. The dossier below sets out how the risk develops, what is measured, where the data come from, how it is modelled and who decides.
Dependence on energy
Pumping and treatment are among the largest electricity users in many cities. A grid interruption becomes a supply interruption within hours unless storage and backup power are in place.
Losses and leakage
Non-revenue water, the share produced but not billed, is often a third or more of production. Leakage wastes energy and treated water and hides the true margin of supply.
Source stress
Drought lowers raw-water availability and raises its temperature and contaminant concentration; flood brings turbidity and pathogens that overwhelm treatment.
Assets and finance
Buried assets age unseen. Tariffs below cost defer renewal, and deferred renewal raises failure rates. Readiness evidence links the engineering state to the financial one.
Water now in the Nile Basin.
Night lights, flood water and population density over the Nile Basin, from NASA GIBS. Each layer carries its own date.
The interactive map needs JavaScript; the layer list and sources are below.
Layers 3
Water now, for this page
About this layer
- Evidence
- Observed
- Source
- VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2) (NASA LAADS DAAC)
- Provider
- NASA LAADS DAAC
- Licence
- NASA open data
- Vintage
- daily; Satellite radiance, corrected for moonlight and atmosphere
- Newest at build
- 2026-10-12
- Resolution
- about 500 m grid
- Uncertainty
- Satellite night-time radiance for the date shown; lights are a proxy for electricity use and outages, not a measurement of supply or access.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
- Evidence
- Observed (clouds leave gaps)
- Source
- VIIRS Global Flood Product (NASA LANCE)
- Provider
- NASA LANCE
- Licence
- NASA open data
- Vintage
- daily; Satellite detection; clouds leave gaps
- Newest at build
- 2026-10-14
- Resolution
- about 250 m grid
- Uncertainty
- Satellite detection; clouds leave gaps. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
- Evidence
- Estimated
- Source
- Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (NASA SEDAC (CIESIN, Columbia University))
- Provider
- NASA SEDAC (CIESIN, Columbia University)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Vintage
- null; Census-based estimate, static (2020)
- Resolution
- about 1 km grid
- Uncertainty
- Census-based estimate of people per square kilometre in 2020, shown as exposure context; not a count of people affected by any hazard.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
- Evidence
- Estimated
- Source
- GPM IMERG (NASA GES DISC)
- Provider
- NASA GES DISC
- Licence
- NASA open data
- Vintage
- daily; Satellite estimate, near real time
- Newest at build
- 2026-10-12
- Resolution
- about 2 km grid
- Uncertainty
- Satellite estimate, near real time. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
- Evidence
- Observed
- Source
- VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance (NASA LANCE)
- Provider
- NASA LANCE
- Licence
- NASA open data
- Vintage
- daily; Satellite image
- Newest at build
- 2026-10-14
- Resolution
- about 250 m grid
- Uncertainty
- Satellite image. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
About this layer
- Evidence
- Modelled
- Source
- SMAP Level 4 (NASA NSIDC DAAC)
- Provider
- NASA NSIDC DAAC
- Licence
- NASA open data
- Vintage
- daily; Model with satellite data assimilated
- Newest at build
- 2026-10-11
- Resolution
- about 2 km grid
- Uncertainty
- Model with satellite data assimilated. Satellite or model raster as the provider publishes it. Clouds, swath gaps and retrieval error leave gaps and noise; values are indicators, not measurements at a place.
- Reached through
- gibs.earthdata.nasa.gov, only after you allow the live map
Keyboard, with the map focused
Hold Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll to zoom
Latest available
NASA GIBS / EOSDIS · ASTER GDEM (METI, NASA) · Blue Marble (NASA) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Natural Earth
Loading the latest NASA imagery.
Drag to move. Ctrl or ⌘ and scroll, pinch or the buttons to zoom; hover for the values under the pointer; reset returns to the region.
Water now, framed on the Nile Basin.Satellite and model products as NASA publishes them, each with its own date. They are indicators, not assessments of any place.
Data: NASA GIBS · ASTER GDEM · Blue Marble · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Natural Earth · NASA EONET · NASA JPL OPERA DSWx-S1 · NASA JPL OPERA DIST-ALERTSources and licences
- We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- VIIRS Black Marble night-time lights, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; distributed by the NASA Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System (LAADS DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- VIIRS near-real-time products (flood, land surface temperature, snow cover, corrected reflectance), NASA LANCE; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University. 2018. Gridded Population of the World, Version 4 (GPWv4): Population Density, Revision 11. NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). doi:10.7927/H49C6VHW. CC BY 4.0
- GPM IMERG precipitation, NASA Precipitation Processing System; distributed by the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- SMAP Level 4 soil moisture and snow mass, NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office; distributed by the NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- ASTER GDEM is a product of METI and NASA (ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003, NASA LP DAAC); imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). Cite as: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Spacesystems and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team (2019). ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model V003. doi:10.5067/ASTER/ASTGTM.003. NASA open data
- Made with Natural Earth. Free vector and raster map data @ naturalearthdata.com. Public domain
- © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via NASA GIBS (coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names). Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). ODbL
- Blue Marble, NASA Earth Observatory; imagery via NASA GIBS. Colours redrawn from the published colour map; values averaged into hexagonal cells where shown (modified). NASA open data
- Context on the globe and flat map: coastlines, boundaries, roads and place names from NASA GIBS reference layers (OpenStreetMap data, ODbL, © OpenStreetMap contributors); Blue Marble imagery as an optional base; 3D terrain and the elevation read-out from the ASTER GDEM elevation colour index (5 m to 200 m classes, exaggerated for legibility). Boundaries are drawn as published and imply no position on any territory.
- Live events: NASA Earth Observatory Natural Event Tracker (EONET); events are indicative and keep their original source links.
- Live: NASA EONET Events are indicative, not authority warnings.
- Observed (EO): NASA JPL OPERA DSWx-S1 (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel-1 data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
- Observed (EO): NASA JPL OPERA DIST-ALERT (contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2026). We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
- NASA GIBS: We acknowledge the use of imagery provided by services from NASA’s Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS), part of NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS).
- River discharge forecast, 30 days with range (GloFAS via Open-Meteo): Contains modified Copernicus Emergency Management Service information 2026; not a flood warning.
- Past year, daily temperature (ERA5 via Open-Meteo): Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
- Past year, daily temperature and sunshine (NASA POWER): These data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) POWER Project funded through the NASA Earth Science/Applied Science Program..
- Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (https://open-meteo.com/), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
- Optional layers (14 sources in the layer list: live, forecast, observed and context) print their provider credit on the map and here when switched on; forecasts are model output and derived indices are estimates.
Layers and dates
- Night-time lights, daily: VIIRS Black Marble (VNP46A2), NASA LAADS DAAC · 12 Oct 2026
- Flood water, 3-day composite: VIIRS Global Flood Product, NASA LANCE · 14 Oct 2026
- Population density, 2020: Population: CIESIN, Columbia University, Gridded Population of the World v4.11 (2018), NASA SEDAC, CC BY 4.0 · static
- Precipitation rate, daily mean: GPM IMERG, NASA GES DISC · 12 Oct 2026
- True colour: VIIRS NOAA-20 corrected reflectance, NASA LANCE · 13 Oct 2026
- Root-zone soil moisture, 0 to 100 cm: SMAP Level 4, NASA NSIDC DAAC · 11 Oct 2026
A utility sits on top of energy, chemicals, data and finance.
| Domain | How it couples here | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Electricity is often one of a utility’s largest operating costs, and supply interruptions stop service within hours. | Energy intensity in kilowatt-hours per cubic metre; backup duration |
| Health | Hospitals, clinics and care homes depend on continuous pressure. See healthcare infrastructure. | Priority customers mapped to supply zones |
| Food | Food processing and urban markets need reliable supply and safe water. | Industrial demand in drought restrictions |
| Biodiversity | Source protection and catchment management reduce treatment cost and risk. | Source water quality trends |
Utility performance is reported with indicators such as non-revenue water as a share of system input volume, continuity of supply in hours per day and unplanned interruptions per thousand connections, defined in the IWA Performance Indicators (third edition, 2016) and the ISO 24510 series.
A cascade through interdependent networks.
A hazard footprint takes out co-located assets in every layer; fragmentation, dependency between layers and overload of the survivors then spread the failure. The 3D view separates the layers by depth. Teaching model with stated illustrative values, not a prediction. The map on this page shows The Nile Basin; the model itself is not tied to a place.
Controls
- Assets per layer
- 18
- Hazard footprint
- 8% of area
- Assets that depend on another layer
- 60%
- Spare capacity (tolerance)
- 30%
Readouts
- Assets hit by the hazard
- 7%
- Assets still working
- 46%
- Amplification of the initial damage
- 7.3 times
- Steps to settle
- 3
Numbers, methods and sources
| Step | Water working (%) | Power working (%) | Telecoms working (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 94 | 83 | 100 |
| 1 | 61 | 39 | 78 |
| 2 | 56 | 22 | 78 |
| 3 | 50 | 22 | 67 |
Methods
- Interdependent networks Buldyrev and others (2010), Catastrophic cascade of failures in interdependent networks, Nature 464
- Overload cascades Motter and Lai (2002), Physical Review E 66
- Betweenness load Brandes (2001), Journal of Mathematical Sociology 25
- Multilayer networks Kivela and others (2014), Journal of Complex Networks 2
- Infrastructure interdependencies Rinaldi, Peerenboom and Kelly (2001), IEEE Control Systems 21(6)
- Uncertainty fan (parameter Monte Carlo) Spiegelhalter, Pearson and Short (2011), Visualising uncertainty about the future, Science 333
- One-at-a-time sensitivity (tornado) Saltelli and others (2008), Global Sensitivity Analysis: The Primer, Wiley
Data
The model runs on the teaching values set by the controls. To calibrate it for a place, read it against these admitted layers and series, which this page’s map can draw:
- Major roads Natural Earth
- Railways Natural Earth
- Seaports Natural Earth
- Airports Natural Earth
- Urban extents Natural Earth
- Night lights tonight, outages (VIIRS Day/Night Band) NASA/NOAA VIIRS (Suomi NPP) · register nasa.gibs.context-live-layers
- Natural events (NASA EONET) NASA EONET · register nasa.eonet.events
Across the six pillars, led by Nexus Consortium
- Experiments Labs
- Built in Water Nexus in Foundry
- Tested at Water Nexus in Universe
- Codified in Water and Food Systems in Standards
- Published in Water Nexus in Reports
- Taught in Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences in Academy
Utility resilience evidence and how utilities can take part.
Utility resilience case studies are designed for the Global Sector Risk and Resilience series. The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI) rates and ranks no utility and confers no status on any; utilities and their regulators keep every decision. Asset and network data stay restricted, and only aggregated, permitted results appear in public outputs under NS-3b metadata of the proposed Nexus Standards.
- After-action reviews of outages, heatwaves or floods.
- Restoration timelines for treatment and pumping after power loss.
- Lessons from leakage and demand management programmes.
Model water utilities as a system. Run the cascade.
Assembled from the Nexus Standards area profile Water utilities and basins: the hazards it names, the systems and sectors that carry the loss, the controls that dampen it and the data that observe it. Choose the components, pick an initiating hazard and step through the cascade. The Map view places the run on an example geography with open data. Every coupling weight is a stated assumption you can change. A teaching model, not a forecast, an assessment or a certification. To model a place of your own choosing, open the full System Builder.
Hazards
- Dam failure
- River flood (set off downstream)
- Flash flood (set off downstream)
- Mass displacement (set off downstream)
- Widespread power outage (set off downstream)
- Water supply shortfall (set off downstream)
Systems and couplings
- Water utilities and basins
- Energy utilities and grids Coupling
- Health systems Coupling
- Agriculture and land use Coupling
- Cities and the built environment Coupling
Controls
NS-0Constitution and principlesNS-3Risk record UNIs (grammar, legacy crosswalk, allocation authority)NS-9Contextual UNIs (deployments, instances, programme instances)NS-10Policies and clauses (machine-readable obligations: definition, binding, evaluation and enforcement)NS-11Verification and monitoring (evidence, attestations, zero-trust conformance observation)NRS-N1Water risk and resilienceNRS-U28Universe platform profile: Water NexusNRS-H85Hazard family: Water and wastewater system failure (NHS-1 infra.water-systems)NRS-H53Hazard family: Cyber-physical disruption (NHS-1 cyber.cyber-physical)NRS-H48Hazard family: Utility and communication network outage (NHS-1 infra.utilities)NRS-H84Hazard family: Energy system instability and shortfall (NHS-1 infra.energy)
Observation
- Aqueduct 4.0 Water Risk Atlas (listed for reference)
- AQUASTAT (listed for reference)
- World Development Indicators (listed for reference)
- GloFAS global flood forecasts (listed for reference)
- Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
- Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation
- Number of disruptions to basic services attributed to disasters
- People using safely managed drinking water services (% of population)
Example geography
- The Ganges and Brahmaputra Basin: 178 hexagonal cells
- Night lights tonight, outages (VIIRS Day/Night Band), NASA GIBS
- Surface water through cloud, 30 m (OPERA DSWx-S1 radar), NASA GIBS
- Rain rate, last half hour (IMERG), NASA GIBS
- Surface soil moisture (SMAP), NASA GIBS
What is measured, and how well.
Each indicator carries its unit, its cadence, the kind of source behind it and the evidence label a value would carry. No values are shown: a programme supplies them under its own authority.
| Indicator | Unit | Cadence | Source type | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuity of supply | hours per day | daily | Network sensors, customer records | OBSERVED |
| Non-revenue water | percent of system input volume | monthly | Production and billing records | Published statistics |
| Energy intensity | kilowatt hours per cubic metre | monthly | Metered consumption | OBSERVED |
| Residual chlorine compliance | percent of samples in range | monthly | Laboratory sampling | Published statistics |
| Raw-water turbidity | nephelometric turbidity units | continuous | Intake sensors | OBSERVED |
| Days of storage at current demand | days | daily | Reservoir and tank levels | Published statistics |
| Backup power endurance | hours | per asset | Asset register | Published statistics |
The sector signature of water utilities.
The sectors water utilities touches and how strongly they depend on each other: what a study has to observe and model together.
Signature
Water and its partners
Water gives irrigation to food (0.8), cooling water and hydropower to energy (0.6) and environmental flows to biodiversity (0.6).
W · E · I · F · H · B
- Sectors
- 4 of 6
- Relations
- 6 of 15
- Coupling
- 0.43 share of total
Strongest relations in play
- Food → Biodiversity · land conversion0.6
- Water → Energy · cooling water and hydropower0.6
- Water → Food · irrigation0.8
- Water → Biodiversity · environmental flows0.6
Where the evidence comes from.
Named public datasets and institutional records, each with its licence class. Sources by agreement are used only under their terms and never republished.
| Source | What it gives | Licence class |
|---|---|---|
| IBNET (World Bank) | Benchmarking indicators for utilities worldwide | Terms per database |
| WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme | Household access to safely managed water and sanitation | Free and open, attribution |
| Utility operational records | SCADA, laboratory and billing data | By agreement with each utility |
| National regulators | Tariff, performance and compliance reports | Public records, terms per regulator |
| Grid operator interruption data | Outage duration and frequency by feeder | By agreement |
How water utilities is modelled, measured and tested.
The model, its assumptions, its data and its uncertainty, in the form a scientist or engineer would check. Structures follow published methods. The values drawn are illustrative, not findings.
System model
The couplings between the systems in water utilities: signs of influence, a reinforcing and a balancing loop, and cross-links where stress jumps.
Who decides, and what the evidence serves.
Water Nexus prepares evidence. The decisions below are taken by the authorities named, under their own rules, and never by the platform.
| Who decides | The question | Evidence this page serves |
|---|---|---|
| Utility boards and managers | Where to invest first: backup power, leakage, treatment capacity or storage | Dependency map with endurance hours; stress-test results by works |
| Regulators and ministries | Whether tariffs and subsidies cover the cost of resilient service | Energy intensity and renewal backlog against revenue |
| Lenders and development finance | Whether a utility is ready for financing and what diligence questions remain | Readiness evidence prepared with the Global Risks Alliance (GRA), with every claim labelled |
Outputs this topic produces
- Dependency map of each works on power, chemicals and raw water
- Stress tests for heat, drought, flood and outage
- Asset and finance readiness evidence for review
- Loss reduction scenarios with energy savings
What utility engineers ask.
- What is the condition of buried and above-ground assets, and where is failure most likely?
- How long can supply continue if power, chemical deliveries or communications fail?
- Which customers are critical, such as hospitals, and how are they prioritised?
- How do leakage, demand growth and climate change affect reserve capacity?
How utility services fail and recover.
Pipes and plant deteriorate with age, material, soil conditions and pressure cycles; much of the network is buried and inspected rarely. Failures cluster in cold snaps, droughts that shrink soils and after pressure transients. Leakage wastes treated water and energy and can let contaminants in when pressure drops.
Continuity depends on electricity for pumping and treatment, on chemical supply chains, on control systems and on skilled staff. Storage provides a buffer measured in hours to days. When it runs out, outages spread, and restoring pressure safely takes time and flushing. Cyber intrusion into operational technology is a growing concern.
How resilience is assessed.
- 01
Asset management
Condition assessment and failure-rate models built from repair records, inspections and spatial statistics. Records are often incomplete, especially for older assets.
- 02
Hydraulic modelling
Network models simulate pressure and flow under failure scenarios, with water and environmental engineering. Models need calibration against field measurements.
- 03
Dependency analysis
Mapping links to power, chemicals and communications and testing outage scenarios. Detailed results are security-sensitive and stay with the operator.
How it is studied, and what the methods cannot say.
- 01Water and environmental engineeringTreatment and distribution resilience · Water safety planningApplied here
- 02Sensors, IoT and observation networksGauge and well telemetry · Utility network monitoring · Low-cost sensing with stated uncertaintyApplied here
- 03Forecasting and time-series analysisFlood forecasting by reach · Seasonal drought outlooks · Inflow forecasts for reservoirsApplied here
- 04Uncertainty quantification and model validationEnsemble and parameter uncertainty · Propagation through the cascade · Evidence labellingApplied here
- 05Geospatial information systemsExposure mapping · Catchment and basin delineation · Public-safe basin mapsApplied here
Where this page’s references lead.
The bodies and documents this page is read against. Status and editions change; each link goes to the issuing body.
- Alegre and others, Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services, third edition (IWA Publishing, 2016)
- ISO 24510 series on activities relating to drinking water and wastewater services (ISO)
- IBNET international benchmarking network for water and sanitation utilities (World Bank)
- Water Safety Plan Manual, second edition (WHO, 2023)
- NS-3b, Dataset and product metadata profile, a proposed standard
Where this page leads across the Consortium.
Questions and answers.
What is non-revenue water?
How long can a treatment works run without grid power?
Does Water Nexus benchmark utilities?
Will Water Nexus publish details of a utility’s weaknesses?
Can a utility take part in a case study?
How do utilities prepare for long power outages?
Does the platform provide emergency support?
Contribute evidence from this page.
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