Hotspots of peatland-derived potable water use identified by global analysis

Peatlands cover approximately 2.84% of the Earth’s land surface and store around 10% of all non-glacial freshwater. However, the contribution of peatlands to global potable water resources is unclear because most peatlands are remote from major population centres, and until now no systematic, global assessment of peatland water resources has been undertaken. Here we analyse global peatland, population and hydrometric datasets to identify hotspots where peatlands are crucial for water supply, and show that these peat-rich catchments deliver water to 71.4 million people. Water-supply peatlands cover just 0.0015% of the global land surface, yet provide 3.83% of all potable water stored in reservoirs. Approximately 85% of all drinking water delivered directly from peatlands is consumed in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, meaning that peatlands play crucial roles in the water security of these nations. Globally, only 28% of water-supply peatlands are pristine or protected, highlighting the urgent need for responsible stewardship. Our findings provide global evidence for the often assumed role of peatlands in sustainable water resource provision and for informing peatland water-resource protection policies.