Top 3 Reasons Why Water Reuse Matters
Across the world, communities are experiencing an environmental shift that is forcing companies, municipalities, and people to rethink the way we use—and reuse—water. There are finite freshwater resources available on earth, and the global demand is outpacing the global supply. Developing water reuse systems in industrial, municipal, and residential applications is more important than ever. Arxtera is in the business of developing and integrating sustainable and renewable water solutions, and here’s three critical reasons why we believe in the impact of our mission and work.
Water Supply v. Water Demand
Many media outlets, including National Geographic, the National Institutes of Health, and the United Nations World Water Development Report have issued a similar warning: the world is facing a global water shortage. Over time, world populations and various industries have increased their demand for freshwater, and only a portion of that water is repurposed. In fact, the global demand for water has been increased by 1% each year, which may not feel like a lot, but is significant when considering the fact that water reuse solutions are developed at a much slower rate. The biggest impacts on the increasing demand for water are population growth, economic development, and changing consumption habits, according to the UN’s World Water Development Report, which noted that agriculture is the largest overall user. Industrial and domestic demand are the fastest-growing areas of water demand, and with increasing climate change, this demand is projected to grow at a steady rate.
Sustainability
The changing demands on freshwater resources have created a need for cities and regions to develop sustainable water solutions. The end goal is that each municipality or geographic area can support their own water demands by creating sustainable water infrastructure. Water policies, effective utility management practices, and wastewater treatment solutions are core components of the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to help communities develop these sustainable systems. The United Nations has hosted various global water conferences to unite countries in their efforts to develop sustainable water solutions, which it notes as vital to the strength and resilience of social, economic, and environmental systems across the world.
Environmental Impact
Though the planet is covered by 70% water, only 3% of the world’s water is fresh water, and “two-thirds of that is tucked away in frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for our use,” according to the World Wildlife Fund. This water scarcity leaves 1.1 billion people worldwide without access to water, and this number increases each year as climate change impacts the availability of and current flows of existing freshwater resources. Water consumption is being addressed at local, regional, national and global levels, with countries being “urged to improve and consolidate their water resources management systems and to identify and implement ‘no regrets’ strategies, which have positive development outcomes that are resilient to climate change.” Through proper water treatment and water reuse solutions, the impact of climate change on our communities, industries, and world can be offset.
At Arxtera, these three areas: increasing water demand, sustainability, and environmental impact, are shaping how we build and implement water reuse and water treatment solutions at both the residential and municipal/industrial levels. We aim to be part of the world’s answer to water demands by designing and integrating sustainable and renewable water solutions for homes, communities, and industries.
