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Drinking water has received considerable attention recently. However, the marked difference between escalating demand and shrinking supplies illustrates that our progress towards sustainable management of this vital resource has been less than adequate. Over the past few decades, global drinking water consumption has outpaced population growth (Fig. 1), while misuse and mismanagement have resulted in a rapid and widespread decline in source-water quality and supply. Nevertheless, the growing movement among governments, scientists, and private and public sectors to evaluate current practices, adopt more stringent quality control, and develop integrated and proactive resource management is encouraging.