Bridging the %E2%82%AC6.5 Trillion Water Infrastructure Gap A Playbook 2025

The global water infrastructure challenge, though unprecedented in scale, offers a unique opportunity for society to expand, modernize and make water systems more sustainable and innovative. Yet fragmentation, persistent underfunding, limited coordination and low efficiency continue to slow progress. Closing this gap would deliver wide benefits to everyone: citizens could gain more reliable and equitable services; governments could strengthen resilience and growth; financiers could access new sustainable investments; and the water industry could enhance its performance and competitiveness.Seizing these investment opportunities to expand, upgrade, make more sustainable and innovate water infrastructure by 2040 will require an estimated €11.4 trillion in cumulative investments. This figure reveals a financing gap of approximately €6.5 trillion when compared to current spending, reflecting an ambitious scenario in which a range of water infrastructure investments are pursued to realize multiple economic, social and environmental benefits.1.1 The size of the global water infrastructure gap Global value of water infrastructure gap FIGURE 1 To close the investment gap, the world needs: €6.5 trillion more than current spending€11.4 trillion in total investmentNorth America 1,838 +677 Latin America 757 +539Europe 1,710 +695 Africa 1,016 +810 Oceania 154 +54Asia 5,184 +3,265 Middle East 649 +384 Investment need Investment gap Source: Acea Research & Studies analysis Bridging the €6.5 Trillion Water Infrastructure Gap: A Playbook 7