What Factors Are Affecting The Future Of The Water Industry
Water is essential for our daily activities. If you work in the water industry, you know that water supply faces numerous threats. Climate change, urbanization, digital technology, and increasing customer demand are some of the threats affecting the water sector.
You’re also facing criticism about how you dispose of wastewater. Some people claim that your factory is consuming and wasting a lot of water. While some of it might be true, other factors are more dangerous to the water sector. They include the following:
Extreme Changes in Weather
Climate change has greatly affected the water supply. Wildfires are caused by rising temperatures due to climate change. Lately, wildfires have increased around the world. That has put great strain on water resources used to extinguish those flames.
Also, changing weather patterns have caused droughts in some parts of the world that used to receive plenty of rain. On the other hand, some areas are receiving more rainfall than usual. Floods are causing river banks to burst and sewer lines to mix with clean water. Maintaining the consumable water supply can be hard to manage when strange weather anomalies occur.
Water Security
Clean water is a useful resource used for both domestic and commercial use. As a result, it must be protected for future use. The U.S, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers the following as beneficial factors to water security:
● Reduction of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences of terrorist attacks through assessment.
● Responding to emergencies, incidents, and natural catastrophes in good time.
● Developing a security breach-proof system that will track and detect contaminants.
Useful Waste is Discarded
Most wastewater plants and water-related businesses still use traditional methods and facilities. According to the old methods, wastewater is extracted, checked, and treated before it is returned to the reservoirs. The sludge from the treated water is discarded. Interestingly, the sludge still has a considerable amount of useful minerals: namely, phosphorus and nitrogen. Instead of throwing away those useful minerals, you should reuse the sludge for other purposes. For example, you can sell it to farmers as fertilizer. The nutrients from the sludge can be used to help plants grow. You can also re-use the treated wastewater for landscaping, toilet flushing, and construction activities.
Digital Technology
Technological advancements are shaping the outlook of the water industry. Thanks to innovation, you can purify water using ultraviolet desalination and disinfection. However, you may face funding limitations because new technology doesn’t come free.
Many consider a partnership with state or local governments. They are both providing an essential service to the residents. When your firm works together with other institutions, you share costs and make the implementation of new technologies more manageable.
The digital revolution has also made customers more demanding. They are well-informed and know what they want and need. For many water bottling companies, they have to personalize their services to satisfy the customer.
Consumer Education
Water preservation plays a significant role in the improvement of the water supply. Municipalities and private industry must take responsibility to educate consumers on ways of preserving water. This will reduce water consumption and make their work much easier.
In summary, the above factors pose a serious threat to the water supply. Firms should work with other companies in the water industry to find solutions to the water wastage issue. They can start by educating the public on the importance of water conservation while also minimizing greenhouse emissions to reverse the effects of climate change. Furthermore, they should also use technology to improve the quality of water and make distribution easier.