Our Scans · (LF.6) 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] Tunisia, one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, plans to use 248 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually by 2050 for hydrogen production. Stanford Social Innovation Review
• [New] Morocco, a country facing severe water stress, plans to use green hydrogen production, and the electrolysis process to create it demands enormous quantities of water. Stanford Social Innovation Review
• [New] By 2030, AI data centers could use enough water to meet the basic needs of all 1.3 billion residents of sub-Saharan Africa for an entire year. UN News
• [New] Growing water scarcity could hamper the expansion of lithium mining in the U.S., deepening its reliance on foreign imports over the coming decades, a new study finds. Live Science
• [New] As hundreds of new data centers are planned or under development across Texas, the State Water Plan should account for their projected water demand. Sierra Club
• [New] Water safety plans remain central to WHO's recommended approach for managing drinking-water risks. World Health Organization: WHO
• [New] Kazakhstan is projected to experience a shortfall of water of up to 50% of its needs for business and household use by 2040. Eurasianet
• [New] The coastal city, Texas' eighth largest city, is staring down a persistent drought that has placed it on course to being the first U.S. city to run short of water sometime in 2027. The Texas Tribune
• [New] The global water and wastewater treatment industry is projected to grow rapidly over the next few years, increasing from $323 billion in 2023 to $536 billion by 2030 - a compound annual growth rate of 7.5%. Seven Seas Water Corporation
• [New] As water scarcity becomes a global concern, industries are expected to intensify reuse efforts, significantly increasing long-term demand for specialty treatment chemicals. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The U.S. Department of Energy will split $94 million among eight companies in cost-sharing funding for the near-term deployment of small light water modular reactors. National Conference of State Legislatures
• Decreasing funding for the USDA's program and other conservation programs would increase farming-related pollution of drinking water and air, putting families at risk downstream. Environmental Working Group
• Agricultural Water Resilience Program Eligible State: New Mexico The Agricultural Water Resilience Program offers grants up to $300,000 for projects that help New Mexico farmers and ranchers conserve water and improve agricultural water management. LOR Foundation
• The EPA will fund USD 1 billion under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help out with the implementation of PFAS testing and treatments in public water systems. DataMIntelligence
• The final rule on the PFAS drinking water regulation will be able to protect more than 100 million individuals from exposure to PFAS chemicals, and prevent several deaths and severe illnesses as well. DataMIntelligence
• England expects to meet around 50-60 per cent of its 5 billion l/d shortfall by reducing water demand. CIWEM
• Without intervention, England will face severe water shortages in the coming decades, as climate change-induced weather patterns, population growth and the expansion of industries such as water-intensive datacenters put excessive demand on supplies and endanger life. The Guardian
• England's water supply is under growing strain due to a combination of climate change, population growth, public water supply leakage and water intensive industries and without action the risk of drought in England threatens the very systems on which people and nature depend. Water Magazine
• Governments cannot afford to wait for global consensus to proactively invest in preparedness and resilience, or we risk being caught in the boiling water. Global Shield's Newsletter
• Even when some withdrawn water is recycled by datacenters, large-scale withdrawals can strain aquifers and river systems, particularly in arid or groundwater-depleted regions, a recent UN report warned. The Guardian

Last updated: 29 June 2026