The number is striking, and it puts fresh attention on how something as ordinary as clothing can quietly strain global water supplies at a time when droughts and climate pressures are rising worldwide.

The figure aligns with research from the Water Footprint Network , which estimates that cotton is among the most water-intensive crops on the planet. Their global calculations show that cotton farming can demand anywhere between 7,000 and 29,000 litres of water per kilogram, depending on the region.

Why cotton uses so much water

Cotton grows mainly in hot, dry regions, where water is most scarce, which forces farmers to rely heavily on irrigation. Over time, this has drained rivers, damaged soils, and contributed to ecological disasters.

WaterAid, a charity focused on global water access, notes that water-intensive farming practices often compete directly with people’s basic needs. In communities where clean water is already limited, growing cotton can worsen shortages for households.

This issue is not limited to one region. The Guardian has reported widely on how cotton farming contributed to the near-collapse of the Aral Sea, once the world’s fourth-largest inland lake. Massive cotton irrigation projects in Central Asia diverted the rivers that fed the sea, causing it to shrink dramatically and leaving behind health crises, dust storms, and economic collapse.

Today, similar pressures are appearing in India, Pakistan, China, and parts of Africa — all major cotton producers. These regions face rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall linked to global climate change, making cotton even thirstier and more difficult to sustain.

This conversation comes as major fashion brands face growing pressure to reduce their environmental impact . Several companies are rethinking their supply chains after new 2024–2025 regulations in Europe and the U.S. began demanding clearer reporting on water usage and climate risk.

Meanwhile, the ongoing droughts affecting North Africa , the American Southwest, and southern Europe have sparked new questions about which crops should be prioritised in a warming world. Cotton, with its high water footprint, is increasingly part of that debate.

This extraordinary statistic highlights the DRC's immense natural wealth, centred around the Congo River Basin, which spans nearly 4 million square kilometres and fuels the continent’s second-longest river.

Why does the DRC have so much water?

Thanks to its tropical location, the DRC receives high annual rainfall, over 2,000 mm in some regions. Combined with a dense network of rivers, wetlands, and deep freshwater lakes like Lake Tanganyika, this hydrological bounty makes the DRC Africa ’s water powerhouse.

Key contributors include:

The paradox: water Wealth vs. access

Despite holding over half of Africa’s surface freshwater, most Congolese people lack reliable access to clean water.

This water-access paradox underscores the need for targeted investment and sustainable management.

What needs to happen?

Organisations like Winrock International are working alongside local and national partners to:

There’s growing recognition that managing water sustainably in the DRC isn’t just a national issue—it’s a continental priority.

Why it matters for Africa and the world

With climate change accelerating droughts and water scarcity in other regions, the DRC’s freshwater reserves are increasingly vital for regional stability, food production, biodiversity, and hydropower. The Congo River alone has massive potential for renewable energy, including the long-anticipated Grand Inga Dam project.

But without equitable access and conservation, this water wealth could become a missed opportunity—or worse, a source of conflict.