Blog Details

A few generations ago, water was often treated as an input that could be taken for granted. For industry, that assumption is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Water availability, quality and access are now closely linked to environmental, social and operational risks.

Here’s what’s actually happening. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2026, 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water. The same report estimates that women and girls spend a total of 250 million hours every day collecting water. These figures underline that water insecurity is not only an environmental challenge; it also has direct consequences for health, livelihoods, education and equality.

The pressure is not limited to traditionally water-scarce regions. Water scarcity is increasingly shaped by growing demand, climate change, groundwater depletion, pollution and the way water resources are managed. A January 2026 study published in Nature Geoscience projects that, under its future development scenarios, up to 62% of the global population could face severe water scarcity by 2100, with inequality amplifying the risk. This is a scenario-based projection, not a prediction of an inevitable outcome.

Industry Isn’t Watching This From the Sidelines

Manufacturing, energy and agriculture are significant users of freshwater resources, making water stewardship an important part of responsible resource management. Global water demand has risen over the long term, while water availability and quality are under increasing pressure in many regions.

For companies, this makes understanding where water comes from, how much is withdrawn and consumed, and what is discharged increasingly important.

Where industries and communities depend on the same water resources, responsible use becomes especially important. Managing water is therefore no longer simply a sustainability-reporting exercise; in many locations, it is closely connected to operational resilience and long-term stakeholder relationships.

So Why Call This a Turning Point?

Three developments make 2026 an important moment for industrial water stewardship.

First, measurement and disclosure have become more structured. GRI 303 provides a framework for reporting on water withdrawal, discharge and consumption, helping companies understand and communicate their impacts on water resources. Second, water-related risks are receiving greater attention in sustainability and corporate decision-making. Third, water recycling, reuse and efficiency measures are established tools that companies can apply where they are technically and economically appropriate.