Title page 1

Contents 1

Abstract 2

1. Introduction 4

2. Freshwater resource use in the Americas 7

3. Economic implications of water scarcity 15

4. Effects of water withdrawal across economic sectors 20

5. The role of water pricing and infrastructure for conservation 23

6. Simulated water stress scenarios for the 21st century 24

7. Conclusion 25

References 27

Appendix 31