Per Capita Water Use Equals 550 Olympic Pools " URGENT CALL FOR INTEGRATED WATER ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS By Dr Shireen Shah Water scarcity is not simply a crisis of supply. It is a crisis of invisibility. Invisible resources cannot be protected. According to World Population Review 2025, every person on Earth consumes an average of 1,385 cubic meters of water annually, the hidden footprint behind food, clothing, and energy. To put this in perspective, that’s the equivalent of nearly 550 Olympic‑sized swimming pools per person each year when combining green (rain‑fed), blue (surface/groundwater), and grey (pollution dilution) water. Research by the World Water Management Institute (IWMI) states that despite this staggering footprint, most nations lack integrated water accountability systems. Agriculture, industry, and households report water use separately, leaving policymakers blind to the full picture. Without unified measurement, waste remains invisible, pollution unchecked, and communities face inequitable access. Policy makers must ensure national water footprint accounts, mandate cross‑sectoral reporting, and invest in citizen‑friendly dashboards that make hidden water use visible.