Infrastructure
Where Centralised Wastewater Treatment Stops Paying
A study of 10,826 Chinese treatment plants finds that big centralised systems are reaching two limits at once, on easing water scarcity and on paying their way, and that a hybrid model could do the job for up to 37% less.
AI's Water Demand Could Double by 2030
A new report projects data centres' water footprint reaching 9.32 trillion litres by 2030, but the number is only meaningful once you know what it counts, and who is making the case.
Only Rainwater Into Windermere: What It Would Cost
An English coalition has costed what it would take to keep every drop of wastewater out of England's largest lake, £3.6–3.7 billion, and its modelling says nothing less ends harmful algal blooms.
Neglected Drinking Water Networks in ‘Model’ Europe
As severe drought grips the whole of Europe, many countries are using water tankers to make up for lost drinking water supplies. This also shows that Europe was caught unprepared by the weather – and that its drinking water systems have been neglected for decades.
When the Cooling Water and the Power Run Out
Low water on the Danube nearly shut down Hungary's Paks nuclear plant, and the Iberian blackout showed how fragile Europe's grid is.
Europe's Managed Retreat
A new analysis shows that managed retreat is more common in Europe than previously thought, but most projects remain small, reactive and disconnected from wider climate adaptation strategies.
AI's Thirst for Water: Data Centres and Public Water Systems
According to a 2026 US study, American data centres could need new water capacity equal to New York City's entire daily supply by 2030 – with lessons that Europe cannot ignore.