Water purification’s environmental and social challenge

According to the WHO, in 2025, 1 in 4 people, or 2.1 billion people globally, still lack access to safely managed drinking water, including 106 million people who drink directly from untreated surface sources. Water purification systems are essential in addressing this challenge. These systems can remove undesired chemical compounds, organic and inorganic materials, and biological contaminants and range from conventional treatment of freshwater sources to desalination of seawater. However, water purification systems can be vulnerable to a variety of threats.