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] The public water systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS concentrations to acceptable levels by 2029. sustainalytics.com
• [New] Leveraging the Moon as an 8th Continent launch pad will enable more efficient deep-space propulsion (lunar water ice deposits, Helium-3 mining, regolith processing) and permanent human-occupied outposts (Artemis base, International Lunar Research Center, Moon Village). Space Calendar - The First Space Calendar on the Moon
• [New] America's bridges, water systems, and even waste-processing infrastructure are under threat as well. Chaikin Analytics
• [New] The urgency for climate adaptation in developing economies is staggering, with annual funding needs projected to hit $300 billion by 2030 to safeguard infrastructure, agriculture, and water systems from climate impacts. Council Fire
• [New] Research from UNRIC shows that global AI-related water demand is projected to increase exponentially. AIMultiple
• [New] Environmental practices in 2026 prioritize water recycling, tailings stability, and minimal land disruption. Farmonaut
• [New] Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule Starting in mid-2023 and continuing through early 2026, the EPA has been releasing the much-anticipated PFAS occurrence data for public drinking water systems through the UCMR 5. Manko Gold Katcher & Fox
• [New] Utah and Florida have enacted bans on fluoride in drinking water, and many more introduced fluoride bills that will be considered in 2026 (the American Public Health Association has pushed back against claims that water fluoridation is harmful). Governing
• [New] By 2030, global water demand could outstrip available resources by around 40%. Vinylone
• [New] In water-stressed regions like the Middle East and Northern Africa, small modular reactors coupled with desalination plants can solve water-energy crisis without burning fossil fuels, presenting billions of dollar opportunity for reactor developers. Market Minds Advisory
• [New] By 2027, global AI demand is projected to withdraw 1.1-1.7 trillion gallons of freshwater - equivalent to 4-6 × Denmark's annual water withdrawal. Medium
• [New] Coupled with early indicators of a new warm water pulse migrating eastward at depth, climate scientists now expect El Nino conditions to materialize by mid-2026. The Daily Galaxy - Great Discoveries Channel
• [New] ECB research on nature-related risks showed a deep interconnectedness between nature and the euro area economy, with water-related risks emerging as the most material. European Central Bank
• [New] The State Water Resources Control Board has proposed distributing $855 million in financial assistance over 2027 to address drinking water needs in disadvantaged communities and emerging contaminants. TorHoerman Law, LLC
• [New] More than $11.1 billion will be invested in basic sanitation alone. FastMarkets
• [New] Freshwater will be another key focus for the construction industry in 2026, as a finite resource in a world where water security is a top priority for people and communities as well as businesses. Sustainable Construction & Building Company | Holcim
• [New] The NGO-ocracy, which likes to imagine itself a keen advocate of civil rights, appears to have little interest in Iranian security forces turning guns, tear gas and water cannons on their own people. Spiked
• [New] Water companies are already reporting challenges in meeting their targets for building reservoirs, with Thames Water reporting that its new reservoir in Oxfordshire could cost billpayers up to £7.5bn, three times the original budget. The i Paper
• [New] England faces a shortfall in public water supplies of nearly five billion liters per day by 2055, and a further one billion liters a day shortfall in the wider economy. Mirage News
• [New] Significant water deficits are projected for Anglian Water and United Utilities by 2030 and for Yorkshire Water by 2040. Mirage News
• [New] Demand for water, driven by hydrogen production and carbon capture and storage technologies, will rise sharply by 2050. Mirage News

Last updated: 25 January 2026