Dursun Yıldız
President, Hydropolitics Association
October 18-2026
Water is an indispensable, fundamental human right—it is essential for life, in constant demand, and has no substitute. Despite this, millions of people worldwide face significant challenges in accessing clean water due to socioeconomic inequalities, climate change, and rapid urbanization. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into water management offers promising opportunities to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of water distribution systems. However, this also brings critical ethical considerations to the fore, particularly regarding equitable access to water and the protection of human rights. A “social state” approach to water management prioritizes the poor, the vulnerable, and disadvantaged communities. In contrast, AI-driven water management—even if unintentionally—risks prioritizing other areas, potentially deepening existing inequalities in water security. The United Nations General Assembly has explicitly recognized the “right to water and sanitation” as a fundamental human right. This recognition should shape the ethical frameworks governing the use of AI in water management practices.
Globally, particularly in large cities characterized by haphazard urbanization and rapidly growing populations, issues of “water justice” and inequalities in accessing sufficient, high-quality water are on the rise. Reports from the World Health Organization and the United Nations highlight that more than two billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services. Artificial intelligence technologies… Predictive analytics, smart metering systems, and real-time monitoring methods can optimize water resource management, thereby improving access to water and its distribution.
The issue of class-based inequality
However, inequality in access to water is not merely a geographical or technical problem; it is also a clear matter of class-based inequality. Therefore, “water poverty” should be understood not just as the “lack of sufficient water,” but as a situation where people are unable to access safe water due to their income levels, their place of residence, and their access to infrastructure.
During periods of climate change and drought, this inequality becomes more pronounced: while water scarcity affects everyone, the burden is not distributed equally across different segments of society. In this light, “water justice” requires that water be managed not merely as an economic resource, but as a fundamental human right and a matter of social policy.
To achieve water justice in megacities, we must view water as a basic urban service and a human right—one that everyone should be able to access under equal conditions. In large cities, the problem is often not just the physical scarcity of water, but rather the question of who has access to safe water, at what quality, with what level of reliability, and at what cost.
Disadvantaged communities frequently face digital divides that can limit their ability to benefit from advancements in artificial intelligence, thereby perpetuating cycles of deprivation. To prevent the entrenchment of these inequalities, ethical considerations must be central to the implementation of digital technologies.
The ethical dimension of utilizing artificial intelligence
The data-driven nature of artificial intelligence (AI) raises concerns regarding privacy and data security. In the processes of collecting and utilizing large volumes of data to optimize water management, principles such as transparency, consent, and protection against misuse must be upheld. The EU AI Act has established a common regulatory framework for the use of AI systems to address these risks.
The ethical dimension of using AI in water management must extend beyond mere efficiency gains. To ensure the protection of every individual’s right to water, AI applications must be guided by the principles of inclusivity, transparency, and accountability. This means considering the needs and perspectives of diverse communities, mitigating potential biases in AI algorithms, and ensuring meaningful stakeholder participation throughout the decision-making process.
Artificial intelligence does not inherently account for the right to water or water justice
While AI offers significant opportunities for more efficient, transparent, and equitable management of water resources, it does not automatically account for the right to water or water justice. These outcomes depend on the quality of the data used, the design of the algorithms, and the policy choices made within water management. If AI-driven water management systems focus solely on economic efficiency and cost optimization, they risk exacerbating existing inequalities in access to water for low-income populations, rural communities, and vulnerable groups. Therefore, artificial intelligence applications in water management must be grounded in the principle of the “Right to Water,” uphold water justice and social equity, ensure algorithmic transparency, public oversight, and accountability, and protect disadvantaged groups regarding water allocation.
“The Right to Water is a fundamental human right, whereas Water Rights refer to legally recognized entitlements to use, abstract, or benefit from water resources.”
The most significant implication of this distinction for water policy is as follows:
Water rights must be regulated with due regard for the “right to water.”
In other words, the fact that water has been legally allocated does not necessarily mean that such an allocation is socially equitable under all circumstances.
An artificial intelligence-driven water allocation system might technically optimize the existing water-rights framework; however, we cannot assume this optimization will automatically safeguard the principle of the “right to water.”
In conclusion, while artificial intelligence can make water management “smarter,” ensuring it becomes “fairer” is a responsibility that lies not with the technology itself, but with humans, the concept of the social state, and public policy. The success of artificial intelligence in water management should be measured not only by the amount of water saved but also by the extent to which it reduces inequities in access to water.
