2026 World Economic Forum: Water and Wastewater Themes

The 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) has placed a significant emphasis on water and wastewater management, acknowledging the critical role these elements play in global sustainability and economic stability. This year’s forum will explore a wide range of themes, particularly focused on understanding water quality and security, addressing the ongoing water crisis, and proposing innovative solutions to ensure clean water access for all.

Understanding Water Quality and Security

Water quality and security are pivotal for human health, economic development, and environmental sustainability. At the WEF, experts emphasise:

• Monitoring Water Quality: Technological advancements in water testing are highlighted, providing real-time data on pollutants and contaminants. This enables quicker responses to potential health risks.
• Water Security Measures: Policies and infrastructure improvements are discussed to protect water resources against climate change impacts, pollution, and over-extraction.
• Public Awareness and Education: Initiatives aimed at educating communities about water conservation and pollution prevention are encouraged to promote sustainable water use practices.

Global Water Crisis: Access to Clean Water and Sanitation

Despite progress in some areas, a staggering number of people worldwide still lack access to clean water and adequate sanitation:

• Current Statistics: As of 2026, approximately 2 billion people do not have access to safely managed drinking water, and around 3.6 billion lack adequate sanitation facilities
• Health Implications: This lack of access contributes to widespread health issues, including waterborne diseases, which remain a leading cause of mortality in many regions.

Proposed Solutions to Improve the Water Crisis

To address these challenges, the WEF has proposed several strategies to improve global water and sanitation access:

• Investment in Infrastructure: Increasing funding for the development and maintenance of water supply systems and sanitation facilities, particularly in underserved regions.
• Sustainable Water Management: Implementing integrated water resources management (IWRM) to balance water demand with sustainable supply, considering ecological, economic, and social factors.
• International Cooperation: Enhancing cross-border collaboration and partnerships to share knowledge, technology, and resources for effective water management.
• Policy Reforms: Advocating for stronger regulations on water usage and pollution, ensuring that policies are aligned with sustainable development goals.

Resource Recovery and Circularity

The WEF estimates that by 2040, almost €1 trillion will need to be invested in circular practices integrating water reuse, resource recovery and pollution controls.

• Scale wastewater reuse: It is estimated that 50-75% of current industrial wastewater is not currently being recycled
• Emerging Pollutants: PFAS, pharmaceutical APIs and micropollutants have been found to contaminate a third of global water bodies
• Closed-loop systems can address the water conservation challenge in industrial contexts, especially in cooling processes
• Tertiary wastewater treatment solutions offer targeted destruction of contaminants and can achieve up to 99% removal efficiency.

How Arvia is Helping to Solve the Water Crisis

Arvia’s treatment systems include Nyex Florenox, Nyex Rosalox and Nyex Ellenox – three revolutionary systems specifically designed for tertiary water treatment.

Arvia’s Nyex process combines adsorption and electrochemical oxidation, providing an environmentally friendly solution to treat wastewater from industrial processes without the need for chemical dosing.

It is now possible to tackle part per million to part per billion ranges of manufacturing sites.

Arvia deploys wastewater treatment systems on-site which align with the individual requirements of the business. This ensures that environmental strategies and regulatory limits are achieved.

Systems are modular in nature and can be retrofitted into an existing treatment train to remove the final problematic compounds which conventional treatment systems often miss.

The treatment system is also unaffected by toxins or high temperatures and emits no odour, making it perfect for application within a manufacturing environment. Alternatively, systems can be stored externally to allow the expansion of business activities inside the plant to take priority.

Arvia’s technology contributes to sustainability and improved environmental outcomes:

• Allows for the recycling of treated water, which can be reused for operations or discharged back to the environment safely.
• Helps industries to meet sustainability goals by treating their wastewater effectively.
• Reduces the need for chemical dosing, as the technology uses a combination of adsorption and oxidation.

Conclusion

The 2026 World Economic Forum underscores that addressing the water crisis requires a multifaceted approach, blending technological innovation, robust policy frameworks, and international collaboration to secure a water-secure future for all.

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