Our Scans · Water · Weekly Summary

• [New] Attacks targeting critical infrastructure could have serious real-world consequences, including disruptions to hospitals, electrical systems and water treatment facilities. KDBC
• [New] While drinking-water testing leads regulatory activity now, the European Food Safety Authority's scientific opinion on microplastics in food, due by the end of 2027, could prove a major inflection point. Science and Medicine Group
• [New] The UK is braced for its fifth heatwave of the year this week, as persistent dry weather puts further pressure on water supplies and could see more areas officially declared in drought. BBC News
• [New] In economic terms, the effects of low water levels on the Rhine could be enough to dampen German gross domestic product by up to 0.2% in the third quarter. CNBC
• By the mid-2020s, heat waves, floods, droughts, and other extreme weather events had become more frequent and severe across many parts of Asia, increasing risks to food security, water resources, infrastructure, and public health. EBSCO
• The mass deployment of sensors, including Event Duration Monitoring, at all UK storm overflows creates opportunities for digital solutions to improve the way water quality is both managed and subsequently communicated to communities. CIWEM
• Water companies must have improved 75% of storm overflows by 2035, and 100% by 2045. / UK CIWEM
• There are renewed warnings that threats to food and water security in the Pacific arising from a stronger than usual El Nino climate pattern will compound the shocks emanating from the ongoing Middle East conflict. Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
• Increasing pressure on global water resources is encouraging industries to adopt water reuse and recycling strategies, creating new opportunities for zero valent iron technologies. Persistence Market Research
• Water and food security will form another major pillar of WGES 2026, reflecting the growing pressure that climate change is placing on essential resources. GCC BUSINESS WATCH
• Regulatory readiness is geographically uneven: California leads U.S. states with Phase Two treated-water testing expected in fall 2026; the EU has a harmonized methodology but no monitoring mandate yet; Japan has an advanced commercial ecosystem but no drinking-water requirement. Science and Medicine Group
• Swiss startup Riverkin develops river monitoring technology that tracks water, sediment, and flood risks. Vestbee
• The scale of planned investment in water infrastructure across England and Wales is creating a substantial delivery opportunity, but workforce availability is emerging as an important constraint on how effectively that capital can be deployed. DirectorsTalk Interviews
• As waterways around the world face growing risks and restrictions, vessels can quickly find themselves caught out, whether on the wrong side of a strait as access rules change during negotiations or on a river whose water levels have fallen sharply. Atlantic Council
• The potential economic consequences are significant: the African Development Bank estimates that a Super El Nino could result in a US$ 10 billion to US$ 20 billion hit across African countries, with impacts extending to food and water security, infrastructure and economic activity. African Mining Market
• The Panama Canal Authority is taking preemptive steps to conserve water in anticipation of serious El Nino-caused drought later in 2026 and into 2027. Freightos
• The UK government has set a target of reducing per capita water use to 130 liters per person per day by 2040. Wizso
• By 2030, global water demand will exceed supply by approximately 40%, underscoring the urgency of robust water management solutions. Persistence Market Research
• Industrial water utilities are expected to register the fastest growth, expanding at a CAGR of 13.9% between 2026 and 2033, driven by sustainability commitments, water reuse initiatives, and rising freshwater costs across manufacturing, mining, and power generation industries. Persistence Market Research
• AI-powered data centers are becoming significant consumers of electricity and water, with demand expected to increase substantially by 2030. GCC BUSINESS WATCH
• Water scarcity is already evident, and according to UN projections, by 2040, water shortages could reach 50% of total demand. Frontiers
• Demand for food may almost double by 2050 and identifies plant based, insect based, microbe derived and cultured meat as key options to ease pressure on land, water and emissions. The Prestige Magazine
• Weather risk is compounding, as El Nino, heat, drought and low water on European rivers and the Panama Canal threaten feedstock and agricultural supply and costs. Kemiex AG

Last updated: 13 September 2026