Water Positivity & Sustainable Water Management For Business
It is impossible to escape the fact that the natural world is being put under increasing amounts of pressure from a variety of different quarters, everything from climate change and extreme weather events like drought and flooding to population growth, urbanisation, water mismanagement and pollution.
Global freshwater resources, in particular, appear to be bearing the brunt of the climate crisis at the moment, with demand expected to outstrip supply by 40 per cent come the year 2030, according to United Nations figures.
If water stress and scarcity continues to take hold in regions around the world, the consequences for the environment, biodiversity and society as we know it could be disastrous, with wildlife populations put at risk, water wars on the rise, and both social and economic development hindered as a result.
Industry is instrumental in this rising demand for water, alongside historical misuse of resources, contamination and mistreatment, and as such, businesses are particularly well placed to make significant reductions to their water footprints and help shore up supplies for future generations.
How can businesses become more water positive?
There are many ways in which industry can support sustainable water management, but one route to consider going down is that of water positivity, where more water is returned to the environment than is taken out.
While water conservation is paramount, of course, the idea here is to look at business operations as a whole – everything from manufacturing and product lifecycle to the entire supply chain – to identify those areas where water security is problematic in order to overcompensate for usage and make sure supplies are replenished.
This can be achieved in a variety of ways, ranging from making improvements to physical infrastructure and investing in water-efficient technologies like drip irrigation and low-flow plumbing to developing policies and regulations, building close relationships with local communities, raising awareness of water conservation and so on.
Different businesses will have different priorities where water is concerned, but the idea of water positivity is to adopt a holistic approach to water management that ensures that supplies are properly protected, while still allowing business operations to continue uninterrupted.
This latter point is certainly something worth bearing in mind when considering the benefits of being water positive. Yes, it’s essential that we all do our part to reduce our water footprint and businesses will likely drive more custom their way by doing so because consumers are becoming increasingly keen to spend with brands that are eco-friendly, but there’s the added benefit of being more resilient in the face of water-related disasters and disruption.
Such events are sure to become more commonplace as time goes on and the realities of climate change continue to make their presence felt.
Looking at your entire supply chain and seeing where you can reduce reliance on freshwater supplies will mean you’re less at risk of having to shut up shop if the worst happens, allowing you to be more adaptable and continue meeting consumer demand no matter what.
Water positivity case studies
It can be difficult to know where to begin as a business if you’ve never considered how to operate more sustainably, so it can be beneficial to look at what large corporations are up to for inspiration.
Microsoft, for example, has pledged to become fully water positive by 2030, tackling water consumption by reducing its water use intensity and replenishing water in those operational regions that are already facing water stress.
Investments in projects like wetland restoration and the removal of impervious surfaces like tarmac will be included in its replenishment strategy, with efforts focused on approximately 40 highly stressed basins where the tech corporation is based.
Meanwhile, Amazon announced its commitment to being water positive by 2030 back in 2022, prioritising the use of sustainable water sources, reusing water as much as possible, supporting water replenishment projects and improving operational water use efficiency.
Last year, the company’s water replenishment portfolio returned 3.5 billion litres of water to local communities around the world.
And drinks brand Pepsi has pledged to become net water positive in its operations, with the aim being to reduce absolute water use and return more than 100 per cent of the water used back into the local watershed.
Its ambitions include improving operational water use efficiency rates by 25 per cent in high-risk areas by 2025, advocating for and contributing to measurable health improvements in high water-risk watersheds where crops are directly sourced and adopting the Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard in high-risk manufacturing facilities by 2025.
Discover your water footprint today
Before you can start saving water, you need to know how much you’re using and where you’re using it… which is where a water audit comes into its own.
The process involves comparing your water usage, including volumes, against what you’re being charged for so you can identify any inconsistencies that have led to incorrect bills. It also means you can see which water-saving measures would be most appropriate for you initially.
Over time, these measures can be changed in line with the evolving needs of your business, so you can continue driving improvements to your water footprint and start operating more sustainably for the benefit of all. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the SwitchWaterSupplier.com team today.