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] The 2026-27 El Nino - which forms when changes in wind patterns allow warmer water to spread across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific - has a historically unprecedented chance of developing into a very strong event fuelling heatwaves, flooding and stormier weather. The Guardian
• [New] Over the next 10 years, American Water plans to invest approximately $48 billion in capital improvements to its systems, including infrastructure renewal, water quality, resiliency, technology, and water and wastewater system acquisitions. American Water Newsroom
• [New] Spain recently announced a national programme to establish a network of climate shelters - air-conditioned spaces that will generally also provide drinkable water and places to sit. BBC
• [New] Even in the US, the Trump administration is having to work to defuse public opposition to datacenters, asking the tech giants to commit that their expanding server farm estates will not spike energy bills or drain local water supplies across the US. theregister
• [New] Major utility companies, including Thames Water, have not built a new significant reservoir since 1992, but are now promising to construct 10 by 2050. Yahoo News
• [New] One theory is that if utility companies could just fix their leaks - which lead to the loss of 2.8 billion liters a day - then Britain's water shortage crisis would be solved. Yahoo News
• [New] Water scarcity could cost the UK economy £25bn over the next five years because of halted building development. Yahoo News
• [New] Five million people will be affected by hosepipe bans which have been announced by four water companies in southern and eastern England, and others are closely monitoring their supplies. BBC Weather
• [New] An analysis of FDA and EPA fish testing data by the Environmental Working Group non-profit found eating one serving of US freshwater fish contaminated with median PFAS levels could be equivalent to drinking highly contaminated water every day for a month. The Guardian
• [New] In 2026, growers are facing rising climate pressure, unpredictable weather, water shortages, supply chain disruptions, and increasing demand for locally grown food. Just Vertical Commercial
• [New] Like other cities built on the faltering notion that the Colorado River could provide a sustainable water source, Phoenix is now turning to more creative solutions - most notably investing in recycling effluent from sewage back into drinking water. The Guardian
• [New] Water covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface yet risks of scarcity and limited access form one of the defining crises of the coming century. Forbes
• [New] A 2026 report by the European Commission predicted soil remediation and drinking water treatment costs of €80.2 billion per year and health costs of €39.5 billion per year in the period 2024-2050, depending on the level of preventative action. Chemistry World
• [New] Rather than viewing El Nino as a solution to ongoing drought, it is more appropriately considered a potential turning point that could influence water resource management over the coming year. / USA Industrial Info Resources
• [New] Planners should monitor how El Nino evolves through autumn, as winter 2026-27 could begin reshaping water availability, hydroelectric generation, reservoir storage and long-range infrastructure planning across parts of the southern United States. Industrial Info Resources
• [New] Water Stress Emerges as a Strategic Risk for U.S. Industrial Info Resources
• [New] Household water demand will increase by around 10% by the early 2030s, placing further pressure on urban water systems already exposed to climate variability. Climate Scorecard
• The water industry had not received the necessary investment in infrastructure under the privatised model, but the National Audit Office has estimated water companies will need to invest at least £290bn into infrastructure before 2050 to maintain networks and meet population needs. City AM
• Internationally, the expansion of desalination infrastructure in the Middle East and water treatment buildouts across South Asia and Southeast Asia are creating significant export-oriented opportunities for qualified filtration-grade silica sand producers. Persistence Market Research
• In the United States alone, annual capital expenditures for water and wastewater treatment infrastructure are projected to grow from US$ 37.2 billion to US$ 57.3 billion over the next decade. Persistence Market Research

Last updated: 13 July 2026