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] Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (universal water and sanitation access) requires $114 billion per year through 2030 far above current investment levels indicates chronically underfunded relative to its importance. The Water Diplomat
• [New] The TCP issue has arisen as water districts are scrambling to store as much recharged water as possible to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, which mandates that local agencies must bring aquifers into balance by 2040. JD Supra
• [New] Stronger global coordination, perhaps through an enhanced UN-Water platform with a more structured accountability framework could help align efforts and avoid duplication, while accelerating the sharing of successful practices. The Water Diplomat
• [New] The global financing architecture must adapt to the fact that only 1% of water investment comes from private capital highlights an untapped opportunity to bring in new sources of funding for public benefit. The Water Diplomat
• [New] Water scarcity could reduce GDP growth by up to 6% in the most affected regions by 2030, with the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and parts of South Asia bearing the heaviest burden. Gray Group International
• [New] Swiss Re's 2026 risk outlook identified water scarcity as one of the top three emerging risks for commercial insurance, alongside cyber attacks and pandemic recurrence. Gray Group International
• [New] Over 1 billion women do not have access to safely managed water services, and 380 million live in areas of high or critical water stress, a number that could rise significantly by 2050. Smart Water Magazine
• [New] By 2040, the state of California seeks to add an extra 3 trillion gallons of water to its available supply to offset the effects of rising temperatures, drought, and disappearing snowpack. Circle of Blue
• [New] By 2026, lithium mines could impact water resources for over 2 million acres of US farmland. Farmonaut
• [New] Effective compliance with ballast water regulations improves maritime biosecurity by preventing biological risks that could disrupt port management and operations, harm critical infrastructure, and destabilize global supply chain networks. SpringerLink
• [New] Seasonal water supply forecasted volumes from the California-Nevada River Forecast Center dropped significantly after the late February snowmelt event in the Sierra Nevada, and most locations are forecasted to receive less than 70% of median April-July runoff. Drought.gov
• [New] India's successful mass sanitation implementation over the past decade offers valuable lessons that could benefit African countries facing similar challenges. Tanzania Insight
• [New] The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is providing $13.5 million to assist water managers in developing and updating comprehensive drought plans and implementing projects that build long-term resiliency to drought. Maul Foster Alongi
• [New] At least six water treatment plants were forced to temporarily shut down, triggering supply disruptions across Delhi. The Week
• Without rapid reforms, water scarcity could trigger mass displacement, economic instability, and geopolitical tensions. UN warns of "Global Water Bankruptcy" as demand surges
• Up to 2 billion people already lack reliable access to safe water and that current global water use is on track to exceed renewable supplies by 40% by 2030. UN warns of "Global Water Bankruptcy" as demand surges
• Under comprehensive adoption of policy interventions, all Pune residents could gain access to at least 40 liters of water per day with only about a 1% increase in the total water supply. EurekAlert!
• By 2050, one-third to nearly half of the global urban population is projected to face water scarcity, with one-quarter living in India. EurekAlert!
• Climate change could mean less water for Los Angeles, which currently gets most of its supply from Northern California and the Colorado River. PRX - Public Radio Exchange
• Newsom vetoed the consumer product ban, but not the cleanup fund, meaning PFAS-laden products will continue to pollute California water and fuel the demand for cleanup. The Guardian

Last updated: 23 March 2026