Ahead of this weekend’s dedication to our most valuable resource, the increase in military and online attacks against drinking supplies sets a worrying precedent.
Research from the Pacific Institute’s Water Conflict Chronology has identified thousands of incidents where water systems and sources have been targeted during war. It also points to a sharp rise in this practice over recent years.
Published in November 2025, the report points to 420 strikes against water infrastructure during 2024, 20% more than the previous 12 months, and an increase of 78% compared with 2022. In 2000, just 24 incidents of this kind were reported globally.
‘The growing number of violent incidents involving freshwater resources underscores the urgent need for international attention,’ said Dr. Peter Gleick, Senior Fellow and co-founder of the Pacific Institute. ‘Ensuring access to safe, affordable water for all and safeguarding civilian water systems in accordance with international law are critical to preventing further expansion of violence.’
November’s analysis also spotlit a growing number of cyber-based attacks on utilities. In Britain, suppliers and infrastructure operators have logged hundreds of attempts to breach digital security systems. Meanwhile, violence against activist who are trying to defend water sources is also becoming more commonplace, with Latin America — home to the Amazon rainforest — a particular flashpoint.
‘We have seen this before. When water systems fail during conflict, disease follows. When sanitation collapses, families are forced to flee. These are not potential risks; they are the documented consequences of conflicts where water infrastructure has been compromised,’ said Nicholas Barbieri, Commercial Director of Hydrachem, a UK company which produces water purification tables for us in humanitarian crises.
‘Clean water is the foundation of public health. Hospitals cannot function without it. Children cannot survive without it. If we allow water systems to fail, we create a second wave of crisis.’that lasts long after the fighting stops,’ Barbieri added.
Image: Willy the Wizard / Unsplash
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