Our Scans · Water · Weekly Summary

• [New] More recently, Iran has threatened to target desalination infrastructure used by the US and Israel in West Asia in response to any attacks on its own domestic fuel and energy infrastructure-signalling an alarming escalation in the weaponization of water systems. orfonline.org
• [New] Several hyperscalers have set water-positive goals by 2030 with zero-water cooling emerging as a key design principle for new data center construction. AI Business Weekly
• [New] Water risk could reduce GDP across major economies by more than USD 5 trillion by 2050. GHD
• [New] Record low water levels in Europe's major rivers have curtailed the transport of goods, reduced electricity output and shrunk company earnings, stoking fears about the economic impact of searing heat and erratic rainfall. MarineLink
• [New] In Italy, the Po River basin has entered a state of high water scarcity, threatening rice crops and drinking water supplies across the north. gCaptain
• [New] EPA has emphasized that cyberattacks on drinking water and wastewater systems have the potential to threaten public health and community resilience. Washington State Department of Health
• [New] Hungary's only nuclear power plant will be forced to shut down entirely for the first time due to record low water levels of the River Danube. BBC News
• [New] Scientists still do not know whether LHS 1140 b has oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapour or other gases that could make its surface more Earth-like and hospitable to life. Live Science
• [New] National grid emissions would run roughly 14% higher than under a renewables-led path, and water demand for cooling data centers is projected to triple by 2030. Tech Insider
• [New] Digital Demand: India's data center water consumption is projected to rise from ~150 billion liters to ~358 billion liters by 2030, intensifying urban water competition. PMF IAS
• Water Gap, described as the first unified strategy to achieve universal access to safe, running water and working sanitation in every American home by 2040. Informed Infrastructure
• Though drought conditions have improved in the Southern Plains overall since June, portions of Northern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas continue to face significant drought challenges, including increasing wildfire risk and harming crops, rangelands and water supplies. Drought.gov
• By 2055 England will need to find an additional 5 billion liters of water a day to meet demand for public water supply. BBC Weather
• While the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a quarter of the world's oil exports pass, remains under the threat of closure, military operations now extend to energy and water infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and Iran. Financial Afrik
• Parallelly, expanding storage capacity across the Brahmaputra basin will help mitigate risks of flooding and seasonal water stress arising from Chinese interventions. Drishti IAS
• Ultimately, by implementing smart digital meters, treating water reuse as a multi-crore circular business opportunity, and shifting agriculture toward micro-irrigation, India can build a water-secure future. Insights IAS
• One silver lining is that parched regions like the Colorado River Basin could get deluged with rain and snow, boosting water supplies. Earth Island Journal
• Middle East and Africa are projected to witness steady growth due to the increasing adoption of water-efficient farming technologies, controlled environment agriculture, and climate-resilient agricultural practices in response to harsh climatic conditions. Market Data Forecast
• Eastern Border Cities: Urban areas in Eastern New Mexico, most notably Clovis and Portales, are facing severe long-term threats to their survival as their primary water reserves dry up. Coyote Gulch
• New Mexico will lose 25% to 30% of its available water by 2050. Coyote Gulch
• As leakage and demand targets are already very ambitious, the only solution to deliver new supply is to increase the amount of water taken from the environment - which may be harmful - or to build new supplies, and major reservoirs can take 15 years to plan and build, Water UK wrote. The Guardian
• The UK will not have enough water for future datacenters. The Guardian

Last updated: 16 August 2026