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] By 2026 in regions like the EU, North America, and India, maximum residue limits and water safety standards are driving swift adoption of biologicals agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] The Water Plan identified a goal to increase desalinated product water by 28,000 acre-feet per year by 2030 and 84,000 acre-feet per year by 2040. Allen Matkins - 2025 LUENR Update: DWR and Water Board
• [New] Middlesex Water Company plans to invest approximately $387 million in its water and wastewater infrastructure over the next three years. Nasdaq
• [New] $1.25 trillion in investments will be needed over the next 20 years to maintain and upgrade drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems. / USA Nasdaq
• [New] AWS committed $10 billion more to sustainable infrastructure through 2030, including underwater cooling systems to reduce water usage. Future
• [New] The UK's ambitious net zero targets, set for 2050, are facing a critical challenge that could imperil their realization: escalating water scarcity. New Civil Engineer
• [New] As the global population continues its upward surge, challenges like land scarcity, climate change, and water limitations threaten traditional agriculture. Farmonaut
• [New] CONAGUA's portfolio of 37 strategic water projects will receive MX $30.8 billion (US$ 1.57 billion) in 2025 alone, generating 65,000 direct jobs. Mexico Business
• [New] Mexico's water crisis is not a distant threat; it is a present reality. Mexico Business
• [New] By integrating sustainability metrics into investment criteria, Mexico could unlock ESG and climate finance to scale the Water Positive model and accelerate infrastructure upgrades across industrial corridors. Mexico Business
• [New] Commitments include drilling expansions, facility upgrades, and water injection for sustainability, targeting over 6 million bpd by 2029 via Chevron deals and Kurdistan's 200,000 bpd Turkey pipeline restart. GeopoliticsUnplugged Substack
• [New] Global AI demand is projected to account for 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water withdrawal in 2027, more than half the United Kingdom's total annual water withdrawal. CyberNews
• [New] Surface-water flooding is now the most common, and least understood, source of flooding in England - 4.6m properties are at risk. The Guardian
• By 2050, water scientists estimate, around 240 cities worldwide will be short of water, including at least 10-20 megacities (with populations over 10m). Pearls and Irritations
• Clashing demands from megacities, mining, farming, manufacturing and the energy sector is combining with climate disruption to spark major water shortages across the world's semi-arid and arid regions - while floods are exploding in the tropic and temperate regions. Pearls and Irritations
• By 2050, three quarters of humanity will face drought and water supply shortfalls. Pearls and Irritations
• Aquatic weeds control remains a significant concern in 2026, especially for regions relying on natural and engineered waterbodies for irrigation, water supply, and aquaculture. Farmonaut
• Ultimately as part of the campaign for water efficiency, Amazon aimed to cut its estimated 7.7bn gallon primary consumption to 4.9bn by 2030 - without addressing secondary use. The Guardian
• England could face a shortfall of five billion liters of water every day. SKY
• EPA will propose a regulation this month to be finalized in April of 2026 that will provide additional time for public water systems to come into compliance with the maximum contaminant levels of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. Williams Mullen
• Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to ensure that 30% of the total area of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems is under effective restoration by 2030. IUCN
• Essex and Suffolk Water are currently imposing a moratorium on new or increased non-domestic connections in the Hartismere water resource zone until 2033. SME Today

Last updated: 03 November 2025