Global Scans · Clean Water and Sanitation · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 6. Ensure availability of water and sanitation for all.

• [New] Across both catchments, £150 million will be invested to capture 190 million liters - or nearly 32 million toilet flushes' worth - of excess flows during heavy rainfall so they can be fully treated, protecting bathing water quality by preventing storm overflow discharges. Anglian Water Services
• [New] The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and State announced a strengthened commitment under the 1944 Water Treaty that will improve cross-border water management and provide greater certainty for growers who depend on reliable water deliveries from the Rio Grande. Irrigation Today
• [New] Updates to the 1944 Water Treaty could reduce uncertainty for irrigation-dependent farms in South Texas. Irrigation Today
• [New] The U.S. is to deliver water from the Colorado River for use in Mexico, while Mexico is expected to deliver water from its tributaries back to the Rio Grande for use by farmers and communities in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Texas Farm Bureau
• [New] In addition to paying back the water debt, Mexico will deliver a minimum of 350,000 acre-feet of water per year in the current five-year cycle, which began last month and runs through 2030. Texas Farm Bureau
• [New] PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America's most vital water resources. The Conversation
• [New] The research, released by Xylem and Global Water Intelligence, estimates AI could add around 30 trillion liters of additional water demand each year as investment in computing power, semiconductor manufacturing and energy generation accelerates worldwide. Inside Water
• [New] Over the next five years, £11 billion of water company investment will improve around 2,500 storm overflows. William Reed - Rethink Events
• [New] China has laid out ambitious plans to land astronauts on the moon's south pole before 2030, targeting a region believed to contain water ice and other resources vital for long-term human settlement. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• Public water systems have until 2029 to reduce PFAS in drinking water. WRDW-TV/WAGT-TV
• With US$ 1 billion in EPA funding now flowing to states for PFAS remediation, the contrast between clean bottled water and contaminated tap water will only sharpen. Yahoo Finance
• The near-total absence of sanitation and fecal sludge treatment infrastructure in Gabon results in widespread contamination of surface and groundwater and a heightened risk of waterborne diseases. Mirage News
• Big announcements for drinking water and sanitation in villages continue to face implementation challenges, despite fresh allocations in the Union Budget for 2026-27. Down To Earth
• A roll-out of smart metering and mandatory efficiency labels on items like dishwashers and washing machines will help households monitor their water use and cut costs - delivering savings of £125 million on water and energy bills over the next decade. William Reed - Rethink Events
• The Clean Water Act does not require states to adopt numeric, or numbers-based, nutrient criteria and concluded that the EPA's authorization of narrative standards will support Montana in its work to implement the Clean Water Act and protect state waters. Montana Free Press
• AI-related water withdrawal is estimated at 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters by 2027, equivalent to four times Denmark's annual water consumption. Natixis - Natixis CIB
• As the UK water sector awaits the regulatory decisions that will ensure a rapid rollout of reuse, it is already clear that IPR will play a large role in securing national water supplies. Water Magazine
• Big Oil now wants to overturn a science-based decision, and will not settle for anything less than being given license to discharge its waste to New Mexico's water resources. Western Environmental Law Center
• The rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence is set to drive a 129% surge in water demand across the AI value chain by 2050. https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/

Last updated: 15 February 2026