Emerging Trends in Industrial Water Use and Reuse

Over half of the water used in the United States today is used in industrial settings. Most of this water is used to cool power plants, but a significant amount (as much as 22 billion gallons per year) is used in manufacturing and related processes. Historically, business has taken for granted that an adequate amount of fresh water would always be available at a nominal price. This view is changing, however, due to dwindling water supplies, rising water rates, a growing demand for domestic water and changing rainfall patterns attributed to climate change. Now that companies recognize the importance of water, facility managers are finding more reasons to invest in water efficient technologies. This presentation will provide an overview of emerging trends in sustainable industrial water use including the use of recycled water (municipal effluent) and onsite water reuse practices in various industry sectors, as well as the incentives that encourage reuse and the challenges that remain.