Indicator 6.4.2 “Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources”
Target 6.4 seeks to ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity – this page explains why and how to monitor progress towards the target, and what resources that are available for countries to do so.
The indicator at a glance
Indicator 6.4.2 tracks how much freshwater that is being withdrawn by all economic activities, compared to the total renewable freshwater resources available. It also takes into account environmental flow requirements.Data can be disaggregated geographically (water basin), by source (surface water/groundwater) and by economic activity.
Data on water withdrawals and total water resources available are commonly collected by national line ministries and institutions (e.g. for Water, Agriculture and Environment) and the National Statistical Office.
Available support 2019-2022
FAO is the custodian of indicator 6.4.2. For any inquiries about available support, please contact their helpdesk.Guidance on data collection and reporting
- Monitoring methodology, methodology for incorporating environmental flows
- Data collection process and timeline
Online support
- Helpdesk (email, phone, video conference)
- Webinars (previous webinars in 2017)
- E-learning course
Face-to-face support
- National workshops in selected countries
- Regional workshops
Data and progress reporting