In examining different scenarios of what would happen if current water use trends continue, the report shows that, as the world economy expands, demand for water will rise and continue to outpace population growth. The report finds that water has been consistently under-priced in many places around the world and, as a result, has been wasted and overused. The report goes on to say that many places in the world are on the verge of “water bankruptcy” following a series of regional water “bubbles” over the past 50 years that fuelled economic growth.