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] Water demand is projected to surpass supply by 30% by 2030, placing a binding physical ceiling on the most water-intensive industries unless governance and infrastructure catch up. The Rio Times
• [New] Nonprofits including the Center for Food Safety and Food & Water Watch say that it will restrict states and local governments from adopting stronger pesticide regulations. Food Tank
• [New] Cities, towns and industrial facilities across South Texas are racing to drill wells as Corpus Christi's reservoirs run dry, threatening the water supplies of rural residents and small towns that have long depended on local aquifers. RuralOrganizing
• [New] A report released today by the American Water Works Association finds that addressing U.S. drinking water infrastructure and other critical needs will require $2.1 trillion to $2.4 trillion over the next 25 years, testing the limits of water affordability. Treatment Plant Operator
• [New] Forecast seasonal water supply volumes from the California-Nevada River Forecast Center have dropped; most locations are forecast to receive 50-75% of median April-July runoff. Drought.gov
• [New] The Iran-linked hacking story is a reminder that cyber conflict is not abstract diplomacy; it is a live operational threat aimed at water systems, energy networks, and industrial control environments. News, Events, Advertising Options
• [New] EPA's announcement that it will consider microplastics as a drinking water contaminant is being dismissed as a PR stunt. PRX - Public Radio Exchange
• [New] For the first time, the EPA is adding microplastics and pharmaceuticals to its Contaminant Candidate List for drinking water, which will help to prioritize funding and pave the way for potential future regulation involving Congress. US EPA
• [New] President Trump must immediately and unequivocally retract all threats to destroy civilian infrastructure power plants, water stations, and desalination facilities in Iran. genocidewatch
• [New] Irrigation water supply for the Klamath Project in 2026 will be woefully short of the needs of family farms and ranches. KWUA
• [New] While Kansas lawmakers are advancing a bill that will develop rules for reusing treated wastewater as drinking water, the city of Lawrence is not currently exploring changes to where its drinking water comes from, a city official told the Journal-World. Lawrence Journal-World: news, information, headlines an
• [New] More than 60% of rural water operators will be eligible to retire in the next 10 years. RuralOrganizing
• [New] England could face a shortfall of around 5 billion liters of water per day by 2050 without significant changes in water management. WILPF UK
• [New] EPA is simultaneously releasing human health benchmarks for 374 pharmaceuticals, giving states, Tribes, and local water systems a critical new tool to assess risk and take action when drug residues are found at concerning levels. US EPA
• [New] A serious water crisis threatens over sixty-four thousand residents in a major United States public water system, with engineers warning of total failure by April eighteenth, twenty twenty-six. Spreaker
• [New] Greater partnership between the water sector and other industries will be key to driving faster, more effective progress in meeting the UK's Net Zero ambitions. Innovate UK Business Connect
• [New] North Carolina has committed $17 million in grants to extending public water lines to more than 300 homes in New Hanover County, where private wells have been contaminated by PFAS, including GenX, in the Cape Fear River Basin. Pace Analytical -
• [New] Maine lawmakers have advanced LD 2115, a bill that would create a Well Contamination Response Fund to pay for testing and cleanup of private drinking water wells contaminated with PFAS from spills, the land application of sewage sludge (biosolids), and similar sources. Pace Analytical -
• [New] The population affected by water scarcity in Africa will nearly quadruple, from 80 million in 2016 to 311 million in 2050. Siemens
• [New] Water scarcity in urban areas is expected to increase throughout the world, impacting 1.3 billion people in Asia by 2050 (in 2016, it was 609 million). Siemens
• [New] The water crisis that could change everything in 2026 has already begun; it's not just about the climate, it affects technology, raises product prices, and can halt entire companies without warning. CPG Click Oil and Gas
• [New] A new satellite could transform how water is studied worldwide. Climate Tech Venture Review

Last updated: 12 April 2026