Which European countries will be most severely affected by water shortage in 2026?

I'd be careful here, because the situation keeps changing and it varies from season to season - what's critical in August can look totally different in winter. It's just too imprecise to say blanket statements like "Country X has a water shortage now." But the problem is real: southern European countries like Spain, southern Italy and Greece regularly struggle with drought, especially during the summer months. Portugal has also had serious problems on and off in recent years. These countries are basically more vulnerable because there's just less rainfall there.

But France and even Germany have had major water problems too, as far as I've been able to follow. It's not just about absolute drought, but also about rivers and groundwater reserves being overused. The Rhine, for example, keeps running into problems. I can't give you exact numbers on what specifically is current for 2026 - it shifts depending on the weather. Your best bet is to check with European environmental agencies or news sources that have up-to-date data. They're more reliable than my assessment from here.