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] A recent AWWA analysis titled Beyond the Replacement Era: Balancing Compounding Infrastructure Needs with Household Availability shows that drinking water infrastructure needs will exceed $2.1 trillion over the next 25 years, requiring a 168% annual increase in capital investment. Municipal Sewer and Water
• [New] The ocean economy is valued at $1.5 trillion per year and projected to exceed $3 trillion by 2030. The United Nations Office at Geneva
• [New] Worldwide, three-quarters of people could face drought impacts by 2050 all while datacenters use 9.3 tn liters of water in the coming decade, enough to meet the drinking water needs of the planet's human population for over a year, the United Nations has estimated. The Guardian
• [New] The multiplying datacenters across the US are set to demand as much as 73bn gallons of water a year by 2028, up from about 17bn gallons in 2023. The Guardian
• [New] Governments have promised to protect 30% of the world's ocean by 2030 - the minimum scientists say we need for the ocean to be able to recover. The Guardian
• [New] The European Commission adopted a new initiative, OceanEye, to expand EU's role in ocean observation, with goals to contribute to 35% of the global ocean observing system by 2035. TerraWatch Space Newsletter
• [New] Recent seasonal outlooks point to an elevated risk of heat and water stress across several of the world's key agricultural production areas. Elicit Plant
• [New] The Panama Canal, a global artery for global sourcing, which depends on freshwater lake levels to operate, experienced significant disruptions as drought lowered Gatun Lake, triggering transit restrictions, vessel queuing, and higher costs. ET2C International
• [New] El Nino may lead to drier conditions in Central America, making the risk of drought in the Panama Canal a medium-term issue. note
• [New] AI-related water consumption could equal the basic annual domestic needs of 1.3 billion people by the end of the decade, while its land footprint may exceed 14,500 square kilometers - roughly twice the size of the Jakarta metropolitan area. UN News
• [New] The average water stress in Phoenix is projected to be higher around 2050 than around 2015. ClimateCheck
• [New] More than 60% of the contiguous US is currently at varying stages of drought, the largest expanse for spring in modern records, with a particularly severe lack of rain and snow in the south-east and west desiccating croplands and raising fears of a disastrous wildfire season. The Guardian
• [New] Google announced five AI data center water commitments, including a goal to become water-positive by 2030, local infrastructure investments, and greater transparency around water usage. Tech Startups - Tech News, Tech Trends & Startup Fundin
• [New] Agricultural forecasters in the U.S. now expect farmers to lose more than 40% of the cotton crop, while many acres of farmland are being left unplanted because of water shortages. The Council of Industry
• [New] The Spanish government has committed to doubling national installed desalination and reuse capacity by 2027, backed by €23 billion in public funding. EU Blue Economy Observatory
• [New] Under climate change, many regions in the EU - especially southern European Member States - and globally are expected to face severe water scarcity. EU Blue Economy Observatory
• [New] SpaceX specifically cited droughts, water scarcity, local competition for resources, and regulatory restrictions as potential threats to future growth. IMFOUNDER
• [New] In certain water-scarce areas of the country such as California or Arizona, AI might compete for limited water resources with other use cases. Atlantic Council
• [New] On the West Coast, ports in Southern California are likely to see flooding (Monterey and Eureka are also likely to see higher water levels than usual), while every major harbour in the Hawaiian Islands is predicted to see high-tide flooding. US Harbors

Last updated: 13 June 2026