The world faces multiple water crises, including overextraction, flooding, ecosystem degradation and inequitable safe water access. Solutions to these crises are multiple, and include technological advances in desalination and water treatment, AI for hydrological prediction, and also new approaches for valuing water. Despite these numerous solutions available to address water issues, the world is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation for all, with scientists and policymakers alike calling for a radical change in water policy and investments. What is holding back progress? This talk reviews some of the paradoxes that affect water policy worldwide, and explains how they undermine the rationale of commonly cited approaches to ‘fix water’, such as generating new water supplies or simply putting a price on water. The talk provides options for resolving these paradoxes and sketches a way forward for enhancing water policy in the 21st century.