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] EPA retained only the 4 ppt Maximum Contaminant Levels for PFO and PFOS, Public water systems will now have an additional two years (until 2031) to comply with the MCL for PFOA and PFOS. BCLP - Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner - Federal PFAS Regul
• [New] The World Resources Institute has classified Mexico among countries facing extremely high baseline water stress, warning that water demand is expected to exceed supply in many regions without significant changes in management. Barber's Mexico Business Report
• [New] Ensuring safe drinking water and reliable water infrastructure as well as the protection and restoration of waterbodies and watersheds will be priorities for EPA in the coming years. J. J. Keller Compliance Network
• [New] Upcoming UN water meetings, the end of the Water Action Decade in 2028 and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline should be used as turning points to elevate water within climate, food and biodiversity negotiations. Geographical
• [New] The PERMIT Act, now under Senate review, threatens to weaken the Clean Water Act, risking higher pollution levels in Detroit's drinking water and endangering the health and cultural practices of local communities. Planet Detroit
• [New] If water bodies in and around Detroit contain more contaminants, they could harm people who eat the fish they catch. Planet Detroit
• [New] Because groundwater responds more slowly than surface water, continued monitoring into winter and early spring 2026 will be critical to assess whether recent rainfall and seasonal recharge allow levels to rebound or if dry conditions continue to depress the water table. Delaware Climate Office
• [New] Low streamflows will have an affect on water availability, ecosystem health, and water quality across Delaware if conditions persist into winter and early spring. Delaware Climate Office
• [New] Participants warned that global water flows are being destabilized, even as the planet's total water volume remains broadly unchanged. The Astana Times
• [New] Water deficit should now be treated as a first-order risk with broad economic and social consequences. The Astana Times
• [New] Water scarcity represents an existential threat to mining operations, with approximately 75% of global mining operations located in water-stressed regions. Discovery Alert
• [New] In eight other priority areas, including King's Lynn and Boston, over £250m will be dedicated to improving water quality by reducing storm spills. World Construction Network
• [New] The East of England, which hosts several rapidly growing cities, will require significant investment in resilient water infrastructure to support major projects, including the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and Sizewell C. World Construction Network
• [New] In addition to paying back the water debt, Mexico will deliver a minimum of 350,000 acre-feet of water per year in the current five-year cycle, which began last month and runs through 2030. Texas Farm Bureau
• [New] Water utilities in the United States are facing a generational risk and need to find thousands of new workers quickly to manage and maintain critical infrastructure and ensure communities have access to high-quality water and services. Yahoo Finance
• [New] The Nature Restoration Regulation, now in force, is translating one of the EU's key biodiversity targets into concrete action - restoring ecosystems to improve water and food security, protect communities from climate risks and support Europe's long-term resilience and prosperity. Environment
• [New] With fewer than five years remaining until 2030, the world is off track to achieve universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Welthungerhilfe.de - Fur eine Welt ohne Hunger und Armu
• [New] Planetary water crisis: UN warns that humanity is already consuming more water than the Earth can replenish. The Green Amazon
• [New] Over 1.42 billion people, including 450 million children, already live in conditions of high or extremely high water vulnerability. / USA Health Policy Watch

Last updated: 23 February 2026