Let’s face the facts. Global water issues are a national security priority.

Too much water causes flooding, destruction and waves of refugees. Not enough water causes drought, famine and even more refugees. Water contamination and lack of proper sanitation cause sickness and death on a massive scale around the globe.

Access to water and sanitation are recognized by the United Nations as human rights, yet more than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress. More than half of the global population could face water shortages by 2050, while 1.6 billion could be at risk from floods, according to the U.N.

Read more about why water is a national security priority and how the U.S. can lead water resiliency efforts in a column by Dean Amhaus, The Water Council president and CEO, in Triple Pundit.