Global Scans · Water · Weekly Summary

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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] EPA will propose a regulation this month to be finalized in April of 2026 that will provide additional time for public water systems to come into compliance with the maximum contaminant levels of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. Williams Mullen
• [New] Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to ensure that 30% of the total area of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems is under effective restoration by 2030. IUCN
• [New] Both indicators are rising, putting freshwater firmly in the Zone of Increasing Risk, with major river basins such as the Indo-Gangetic Plain and North China exceeding safe levels and more pronounced extremes undermining water availability and resilience. Arcadia Foundation
• [New] There will likely be basis opportunities in eastern Ontario reflecting the drought of the last summer. Grain Farmers of Ontario
• [New] Decarbonization efforts, associated with carbon capture and hydrogen production, could add up to 860 million liters per day of water demand by 2050. Water Magazine
• [New] By 2040, additional water requirements needed for decarbonization in England are likely to be equally split between CO2 capture, blue hydrogen production and green hydrogen, placing an additional demand for 860 million liters of water per day across the UK by 2050. Water Magazine
• [New] The water required for decarbonization projects will likely push some UK regions into a deficit as early as 2030. Water Magazine
• [New] Looming water scarcity threat could limit the UK's ability to reach 2050 net zero targets. Water Magazine
• [New] By 2030, demand for water will be 40% higher than supply. europebreaking.com
• [New] Collapsing groundwater supplies severely threaten human wellbeing in south-east England. The Guardian
• [New] Because Texas water planning relies heavily on historical usage data, the rapid emergence of high-water-use industries like data centers threatens to outpace projections and strain rural water systems that often lack flexible supply capacity. RuralOrganizing
• [New] Without coordinated governance and biodiversity safeguards, the push for renewable energy could undermine international commitments under the UN Ocean Decade, the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). Mirage News
• [New] The Ocean Decade played a key role in placing science at the heart of global ocean action, launching new initiatives from advancing ocean mapping to expanding funding and capacity development opportunities. Ocean Decade
• [New] The Melanesian Ocean Reserve, a proposed Indigenous-led marine protected area, will span over six million square kilometers (more than 2.3 million square miles) of ocean and islands, an area comparable to the Amazon rainforest. The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News |
• [New] Threats to safe drinking water include arsenic, nitrate, and lead, as well as newer contaminants like PFAS, and a dwindling workforce to ensure safe water. KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News
• [New] Micron Technology aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and 100% water reuse, recycling, or restoration by 2030, with its HBM3E memory offering a ~30% reduction in power consumption. FinancialContent
• The biggest contributor to projected droughts were decreases in rain during Panama's wet season, particularly as drought compounded over months and years. Mirage News
• Governor Hochul announced two grant opportunities totaling $26 million for projects that will help address the impacts of climate change and protect water quality across New York State. Governor Kathy Hochul
• In Somalia and the Horn of Africa, drought and fighting threaten tens of millions with hunger. Algemeiner.com
• Some geothermal fluids contain valuable minerals; lithium concentrations in the groundwater of California's Salton Sea region could potentially supply battery manufacturers. UND Today

Last updated: 25 October 2025