Water Under Fire: When Infrastructure Becomes a Military Target
19.05.2026
Protection of Water During and After Armed Conflict
From Kakhovka to Gaza, from Yemen's cholera wards to Gulf desalination plants, water infrastructure is increasingly weaponised in modern conflict. A new Smart Water Magazine feature examines the rising threat and the legal frameworks meant to stop it.
This in-depth article traces how water has shifted from a protected civilian asset to a deliberate target of warfare, drawing on data from the Pacific Institute, OCHA, UNICEF, and the ICRC. It also highlights the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure, developed by the Geneva Water Hub with the Platform for International Water Law at the University of Geneva, which consolidates obligations across international humanitarian, human rights, environmental, and water law into a single authoritative framework.