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] Through the Water Forward Initiative, ADB will target reaching 100 million people in developing economies in Asia and the Pacific by 2030 with safe water, sanitation, irrigation, and greater resilience to floods, droughts, and storms. World Bank Live
• [New] The growing global water scarcity makes the rational use of water resources a matter of national policy level, placing it at the core of the Uzbekistan 2030 strategy, which sets 10 concrete targets to be achieved by 2030. World Bank Live
• [New] Kenya is facing a widening gap between growing demand for reliable water sanitation and irrigation, and limited climate-vulnerable supply with inadequate service coverage, high losses, low storage, and overreliance on rain-fed systems, turning water insecurity into a macrofiscal risk. World Bank Live
• [New] Through the Presidential Pact for Water, we are aiming for 60% access to drinkable water by 2035 with a program representing 20 billion dollars. World Bank Live
• [New] Water scarcity intensified by climate change could actually cost some regions up to 6% of GDP by 2050. World Bank Live
• [New] As global water stress intensifies due to climate change, economic development and regional scarcity, proactive water stewardship enables organizations to optimize resource use, enhance efficiency, maintain quality and mitigate future disruptions. TRC Companies
• [New] Investing $1.8 trillion globally in five areas (early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure, improved agriculture, mangrove protection and water resilience) could yield $7.1 trillion in total net benefits by 2030. TRC Companies
• [New] Global water demand is projected to increase by another 20% to 25% by 2050, all while the number of watersheds affected by unpredictable water supplies is expected to rise by 19%. Population Connection
• [New] In the water domain, the UAE launched the Water Security Strategy 2036 in 2017, effectively redefining national security to encompass the sustainability of water supplies under extreme emergency scenarios, rather than relying solely on periods of stability. Al Habtoor Research Centre
• [New] The City of St. Louis Water Division has proposed significant rate increases over the next six years, including 18% hikes in 2026 and 2027, to address aging infrastructure and staffing shortages. Yahoo News
• [New] Tehran's escalating threats have extended to desalination plants on which the desert Gulf countries rely heavily for their water supply. BSS
• [New] Even today, as conflict continues in the Middle East, desalination plants in both Iran and Bahrain have been attacked, cutting off sources of fresh water for population centers that will take years to rebuild. George W. Bush Presidential Center
• [New] The FDA has issued warning letters to three California seafood processing facilities over serious violations of seafood HACCP regulations and sanitation standards, with one facility showing a history of Listeria contamination. SeafoodNews
• [New] The second round of HIP upgrades that HDB flats will undergo - known as HIP II - will be more extensive and make use of new technologies like microwave scanning to detect issues such as water seepage. ST
• [New] Long valued in the United States and mainland Europe for its drought tolerance, deep rooting and efficient water use, sorghum is often promoted as a hardy, lower-risk alternative to maize, particularly for organic or regenerative systems. All About Feed
• [New] A $208 million replacement water system has been under construction since 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2027. Circle of Blue
• [New] Hack Attack Federal cybersecurity agencies warned U.S. utilities and government agencies that Iranian-linked groups are attempting to hack into and disrupt critical infrastructure including water and energy systems. Circle of Blue
• [New] Cybersecurity agencies warn utilities of Iranian cyberattacks against water and energy infrastructure. Circle of Blue
• [New] Putting solar panels over California's open canals could save billions of gallons of water annually. Business Facilities Magazine
• [New] A cancer-causing chemical found in some medications and in drinking water contaminated by industrial activity may pose a much greater risk to children than to adults. ScienceDaily
• [New] Following the recent dissipation of the weak La Nina, the World Meteorological Organization flagged the potential emergence of a super El Nino - an event that occurs roughly once a decade - later in 2026 could threaten water levels in Gatun Lake, a critical component of the Panama Canal system. BRS Shipbrokers

Last updated: 11 May 2026