Introduction
With climate change, water pollution, and population growth all becoming pressing global issues, it’s never been more important to pay attention to how we manage our water supplies. Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, but many regions around the world face increasing pressure on their limited water supplies. Businesses have an important part to play in improving efficiency and reducing demand for clean water. Reducing waste and improving recycling of wastewater is one way that companies can help reduce the growing pressure on limited global freshwater resources.
Water scarcity is a growing problem globally.
Water scarcity is a growing problem globally. It’s clear from the data that water scarcity is a problem in many countries, but it’s not always clear why.
There are multiple factors that contribute to water scarcity across the world: climate change, population growth, and poor water management practices.
Clean water is a limited resource in many countries.
- Water scarcity is a growing problem globally.
- Water scarcity is a problem in many countries.
- Water scarcity is a problem in many cities.
- Water scarcity is a problem in many communities.
- Water scarcity is a problem in many businesses.
More people need access to clean water.
In light of the fact that more people than ever before need access to clean water, it becomes clear that water management is essential for industry.
Water is a basic human need. Every person on earth needs access to clean water in order to survive. Access to clean water is recognized as a human right by the United Nations and other international organizations, who have set out guidelines to ensure all people receive this basic necessity. According to UNICEF, there are still 2 million people living without safe drinking water worldwide—and because this statistic includes those living in areas where access is difficult due to natural disasters or conflict, many more may actually lack safe drinking sources nearby but are unaware of its existence or availability.
Water can become less available due to climate change.
Water is a limited resource in many countries. As population growth continues and climates change, the amount of available water will likely become even less. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report (2018), one of the 10 global risks most likely to affect humanity is water scarcity.
As water becomes scarcer and more expensive, it has been predicted that by 2025 over half of all people will live in countries affected by severe acute water shortage. This means that not only are there increasing pressures on industry to manage their own use and discharge of wastewater safely, but also that they will face increased pressure from governments around how this should be done as well as whether certain types of industries should be allowed at all.
The need to conserve resources such as energy and materials continues to grow for companies within many sectors including manufacturing and industrial operations; however it is important that businesses do not overlook another key resource: clean fresh drinking water itself which can become scarce due to climate change or other reasons such as drought conditions using up its availability within an area where operations take place.
Water is a critical resource for industry.
Water is a critical resource for industry. Many industrial processes require water and its byproducts, including steam and cooling water. In fact, most of the world’s manufacturing facilities use water in some way:
- Manufacturing: The production of plastics and chemicals accounts for 87 percent of all industrial freshwater withdrawals worldwide. In addition to this direct use, many manufactured goods depend on other industries that require vast amounts of water-intensive processes (e.g., oil extraction).
- Energy generation: Water is used in almost every step of electricity generation—from its transportation via pipelines or barges to its conversion into steam by power plants’ turbines. In total, 71 percent of our nation’s electricity comes from thermoelectric power plants (which burn fossil fuels). Each kilowatt hour produced requires 4–6 gallons from energy producers alone.
- Food production: Agricultural irrigation accounts for 70 percent of total global freshwater withdrawal; about one-third comes from groundwater sources.
- Mining: Extraction industries such as mining use large amounts of surface water resources during operations but also consume large quantities through evaporation during cooling processes.
- Construction/transportation: All construction activities require some type of fresh or recycled water; additionally, roadways need maintenance after heavy rains cause erosion that damages drainage systems under street surfaces.
- Commercial/residential buildings: Most commercial buildings require air conditioning systems which rely on thermal energy transfer between building materials (including walls) and an outside heat sink such as air outdoors before circulating throughout interior spaces via ductwork systems connected within each room while residential properties may include things like lawn watering devices like sprinklers etcetera which also consume natural resources such as rainfall runoff.
Water management is important for environmental reasons.
Water management is important for environmental reasons. It reduces the demand for clean water, reduces the cost of clean water, and reduces the environmental impact of clean water.
- Water management improves efficiency of clean water
- Water management improves quality of clean water
- Water management improves sustainability of clean water
Improved wastewater treatment and reuse reduces the demand for clean water.
Water reuse is a cost-effective way to solve water scarcity. In fact, it’s one of the most cost-effective solutions for addressing industrial water needs.
Water reuse has many benefits:
- It reduces the demand for clean drinking water. This means that less potable water needs to be used in industrial processes, which can lead to a reduction in industrial effluent discharge and fewer treatment costs overall.
- It minimises pollution from industry by reducing effluents discharged into local surface waters or groundwater, thereby protecting public health and environmental quality.
Businesses have an important role to play in managing water resources more efficiently, resulting in improved efficiency, lower costs, and more environmentally-friendly operations.
Businesses have an important role to play in managing water resources more efficiently, resulting in improved efficiency, lower costs, and more environmentally-friendly operations.
- Reduce the demand for clean water. By reducing the amount of wastewater generated per unit of production or service provided, businesses can help conserve this valuable resource.
- Improve quality. Improving the quality of wastewater before discharge allows businesses to comply with environmental regulations while also reducing their operating costs by reducing treatment volume and complexity requirements at local wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs).
- Improve efficiency through conservation practices such as low-flow fixtures and other process improvements that reduce energy use for heating/cooling water systems; high-efficiency motors; recycling chemicals from industrial processes that require large amounts of fresh water; etcetera…
Conclusion
Water is a critical resource for the global economy, but the amount of clean water available for use is limited. To manage this problem, businesses need to implement effective water management practices and invest in advanced technologies that enable them to accurately monitor and treat their water to improve efficiency. We’re excited about the future of this technology and hope you are too!
