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] If current conditions remain unchanged and water demand continues to outweigh the shrinking supply base of the Colorado River, households and businesses in the American West will experience further water shortages combined with higher water prices. The Conference Board
• [New] A rapidly intensifying El Nino weather pattern is threatening to bring severe flooding, disease and drought to some of the world's most vulnerable communities across East Africa and Asia, a humanitarian organization has warned. Al Jazeera
• [New] Ofwat has published its first artificial intelligence adoption plan for the water sector, outlining how AI could support operational efficiency, environmental performance and regulatory oversight across UK water companies. Water Industry Hub
• [New] Google has announced it will replenish more water than it consumes by 2030 and invest $500 million globally in water reuse and watershed restoration. Water Industry Hub
• [New] By 2030, data center water consumption for AI cooling and electricity generation could reach 9.3 trillion liters - enough to meet global drinking water needs for 1.6 years. Water Industry Hub
• [New] A projected 5 billion liter daily shortfall by 2055 is driving nine new reservoirs, six desalination plants, and a demand management programme that will shape AMP9 and beyond. Water Industry Hub
• [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] China has developed a solar-powered desalination process that will bring potable water to arid regions of the world. Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox
• [New] U.S. drinking water utilities will require between $2.1 trillion and $2.4 trillion in infrastructure investment through 2050, leaving an annual funding gap of approximately $56.6 billion. EFCG
• [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] If historical trends continue, more than one-third of US households could face unaffordable water bills within a decade. Nature
• [New] $16.5 million in federal Clean Water Act Emergency Response funding will go toward grants to help wastewater systems address emergencies. Coastal Review
• [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] Fiscal Exposure: NITI Aayog projects that India's water demand will be twice the available supply by 2030, implying a potential GDP loss of up to 6%. PMF IAS
• [New] Water Stress Emerges as a Strategic Risk for U.S. Industrial Info Resources
• [New] Climate change is making extreme heat more severe, creating growing risks for public health, water security, agriculture, and economies worldwide. fundsforNGOs News - Grants and Resources for Sustainabi
• [New] Over the next 10 years, American Water plans to invest $46 billion to $48 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions. American Water Newsroom

Last updated: 18 July 2026