  Cities play a vital role in providing water to vast populations. Due to an
increasing population and the urbanization process, urban water demand is
expected to double by 2050. However, some cities are expanding in locations
with limited water retention capacity, scarce rainfall and unfavourable shape.
This study quantifies the impact of urban form on water scarcity across more
than 100 cities in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The analysis integrates
indicators of urban morphology, satellite imagery for natural resources, and
terrain metrics to model cities' influence on water accessibility. Water
tariffs, proximity to critical infrastructure, and access to piped water are
used to assess scarcity in urban areas. Results show that locations that are
far from the centre, with smaller buildings and fewer constructed surfaces, are
less likely to have water access. Urban sprawl negatively impacts water
availability within a city, decreases proximity to critical infrastructure and
increases water tariffs. Keeping everything else constant, a location that is
twice as far from the city centre has 38% less proximity to critical
infrastructure. Also, water tariffs are up to 75% higher and the capacity of
cities to provide water drops by half in more sparse cities.
