Our Scans · (LF.6) Clean Water and Sanitation · Weekly Summary

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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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will set new drinking water limits for two widely studied PFAS chemicals at 4 parts per trillion, giving water systems until 2031 to comply. Nebraska Public Media
• [New] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will no longer defend rules that protect people from unsafe levels of PFAS forever chemicals in drinking water, seeking to reverse legal protections put into place last year. Earthjustice
• [New] Over 60% of lithium mining operations in 2025 are projected to use water-saving and sustainable extraction innovations. Farmonaut
• [New] 85% of new lithium mines in 2025 will implement closed-loop water recycling systems to reduce environmental impact. Farmonaut
• [New] Run off in rural areas poses several risks to Minnesota's water quality. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• [New] Water companies have committed to reducing leakage by 16% between 2020-2025, with an ambitious target of 50% reduction by 2050. Lucion Group
• [New] Maintaining water quality is crucial for preventing health hazards associated with contaminated water. FishingAndFish
• [New] Reducing the water footprint of production has previously been shown to lead to global water savings and reduce the critical water dependency and risks to supply chains. Nature
• [New] The U.S. data center direct water consumption could double or even quadruple the 2023 level by 2028. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] Noria Energy, a developer of floating solar panel systems, has begun construction on Aurea Solar, a 50-kW floating solar pilot project in Golden, Colorado that will provide renewable energy for local water utility operations. ColumbusFreePress.com
• [New] Potential mine water hotspots Newcastle, Sunderland and Stoke-on-Trent are seen as having particular potential for mine water heating, with large numbers of suitable mines and sizeable populations. The i Paper
• [New] Construction of a mine water heating project has started in the town of Seaham, County Durham, which will see 750 homes heated using mine water. The i Paper
• [New] The success of the first largescale test of 'mine water heat' technology in Gateshead suggests it could play a crucial role in weaning the UK off gas boilers. The i Paper
• [New] Water infrastructure investments are projected to exceed $114 billion globally by 2030, driven by climate adaptation needs. Ainvest
• [New] Tribal investments and ESG alignment attract capital, with BloombergNEF projecting $114 B global water infrastructure investments by 2030. Ainvest
• [New] More than two billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, and the World Bank estimates that scarcity could shave up to 6% off GDP in some regions by the middle of the century. The National
• [New] Global demand for water is projected to rise by 20 to 30% by 2050, while droughts have already surged in frequency by nearly a third since 2000. The National
• [New] With global water demand projected to surge in the coming decades, experts stressed the importance of leveraging advanced technologies, promoting regional cooperation, and investing in research to ensure sustainability. The National
• [New] Leveraging the high potential of green energy as well as affordable water resources, Malaysia is one of the popular destinations for future data centers. eco-ideal
• [New] As Saudi Arabia advances its Vision 2030 goals for sustainable water management and the United Arab Emirates implements its Water Security Strategy 2036, regional governments are prioritising innovation to ensure long-term water resilience. Industrial Compliance
• [New] TSMC began construction of a 15-acre industrial water reclamation plant at its Phoenix manufacturing complex, aiming to recycle up to 90% of water used by 2028 to address Arizona's mega-drought. Semiconductor Engineering

Last updated: 15 September 2025