the consequences for daily life are uncertain depending greatly on the adequacy of water management strategies put in place this results from a projected decrease in demand driven by efficiency gains and a structural shift towards service sectors that are less water intensive and higher precipitation caused by climate change box the intergovernmental panel on climate change ipcc projects that the impact of climate change on freshwater systems and their management will be felt primarily through temperature increases sealevel rise and precipitation variability there will be shifts in the quantity variability timing form and intensity of precipitation and annual average runoff the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as floods and droughts will increase water temperature and the rate of evapotranspiration will increase and water quality will deteriorate bates et al