Global Scans · Water · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Global demand for fresh water is expected to outpace sustainable supply by 40% in 2030. Global water demand will climb in tandem with population and economic growth. At least two-thirds of the world's population will face 'water stress' by 2025 and the number of people affected by floods could increase by a factor of three by 2100 bring significant risk of unrest and conflict. The UN Security Council will have to declare water a strategic resource of humanity and adopt a resolution to protect water resources and installations. Organizations will be expected to play their part in conserving water.

• [New] Household drinking water costs are projected to rise If the funding gap were addressed solely through ratepayer revenue, average annual household drinking water bills could increase from $429 in 2025 to $969 by 2050 (in constant dollars). ASDWA
• [New] An estimated $13.6 billion per year in assistance would be needed by 2050 to keep water bills below commonly understood affordability benchmarks. American Water Works Association
• [New] There Is a Persistent and Growing Funding Gap Current capital spending by drinking water utilities averages $33.6 billion per year, while the annual investment needed to meet projected requirements is approximately $90.2 billion. American Water Works Association
• [New] Warm / dry conditions ahead for Central-West Brazil will increase drought risks to 2nd crop corn, while rains to the east will be favorable for coffee/sugarcane. ADM Investor Services
• [New] 20-50 AI prompts may require about 500 ml of water for data center cooling, while global data center water use already exceeds billions of gallons annually, with demand expected to rise through 2026 as AI adoption grows. KnowESG
• [New] AI infrastructure could soon use six times more water than Denmark. KnowESG
• [New] AI infrastructure requires significant water for cooling, with estimates suggesting usage could equal six times Denmark's national consumption. KnowESG
• [New] 60% of the projected water deficit must be addressed through reduced demand, which researchers say will require changes in household behaviour. SciTechDaily
• [New] Changing everyday habits, such as how people shower, report leaks, and flush toilets, could help reduce England's projected daily water shortfall of five billion liters (about 1.32 billion gallons). SciTechDaily
• [New] A UN target to protect and restore 30% of nature by 2030 will not be achieved in ocean environments until 2107 on current trends. Morning Star
• [New] Water scarcity in urban areas is expected to increase throughout the world, impacting 1.3 billion people in Asia by 2050 (in 2016, it was 609 million). Siemens
• [New] Using new data from ESA's Gaia mission and NASA archives, researchers pinpointed worlds in the habitable zone, where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist. ScienceDaily
• [New] Nearly all of the 58 CMS-listed migratory fish species (including fresh and salt-water species) are now threatened with extinction. ScienceDaily
• [New] Oxygen-depleted ocean zones are increasing rapidly, threatening marine ecosystems and global seafood supply chains. Informosio
• [New] The Ocean Climate Action Coalition supports (and we believe influenced) the Biden executive action to allow 30 GW of offshore wind leasing by 2030. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
• [New] A warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States will obliterate Iran's power plants if Tehran fails to fully open the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours underscores how the small strip of water is a vital artery of the world economy. WJXT News4JAX
• [New] By 2026, vertical farming is projected to use up to 95% less water than traditional agriculture methods. Farmonaut
• [New] Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have urged residents at the highest risk of being in the path of hurricanes to begin stocking up on emergency supplies, including gas, food, water and other essentials, before long lines form during an actual emergency. Daily Mail
• By 2030 there could be a 40% global shortfall in freshwater resources while demand increases by more than 20%, making desalination technology all the more essential. Atlantic Council
• The World Economic Forum highlights that global freshwater demand is expected to surpass supply by 40% by 2030, potentially leaving 1.6 billion people without access to safe drinking water. Yahoo Finance Singapore
• The efficiency rate of agricultural irrigation is targeted to increase to 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2050. KURE Encyclopedia

Last updated: 04 April 2026