Water accessibility and usage has largely flown beneath the radar of public and political debate about sustainability priorities and how fast change can be achieved.

With many companies that use large amounts of water having committed to doing so in more sustainable ways, the need to address water scarcity, and ensure a better balance between human consumption and usage, has become something of a no-brainer.

But water access has also now started to become a conflict point, given the new tensions between India and Pakistan, on top of the situation in Israel and Gaza. Following the militant assault in Kashmir a couple of weeks ago, the long-standing Indus Water Treaty that gives both countries shared river water access was thrown into question by India and later suspended.

Pakistan relies on the water for hydroelectric power and agriculture. According to the Financial Times, in a reciprocal measure “Pakistan could block drains on its side of the border, causing toxic wastewater to flood the Indian farmlands”.

It is one dramatic example of growing tensions over water usage, not just in the driest parts of the world. Innovative projects are aiming to make food production less water intensive, but the need to feed a growing global population and increasing demands from industry - sometimes for investments that themselves support sustainability goals - combine to increase the pressure.

Given the warm weather in the UK this week, the media stories have already been circulating about the prospect of supplies running low this summer, amidst the ongoing issues around how water companies have operated and where future investment will come from.

Industry sectors have largely taken a collaborative approach to initiatives that reduce water usage and drive its conservation, including the construction, mining and industrial sectors, alongside concerns about the amount of water data centres will need given the growth of AI.

What should companies consider, and how does the growing tensions over water accessibility and infrastructure investment impact their relevant sustainability goals? On the one hand it surely increases the urgency, and demonstrates that businesses with complex global supply chains which consume a lot of water should likely think beyond measures to reduce their own consumption. Industry-wide initiatives, public-private partnerships and global frameworks can have the potential for broader impact and collective action, for example.

They should also be conscious that water is not a standalone sustainability issue, but intrinsically linked with the climate crisis and related risks.

But as tensions continue to bubble, there is also a need to pay close attention to the political debate and growing geopolitical tussle over water usage and access.

The need for water is obvious and inescapable. For business, the issue is likely to become a lot more complicated and politicised, requiring more careful navigation.