With water seemingly becoming a more scarce resource, do we see it as precious or do most just regard the supply as endless? With water restrictions in place, spreading drought conditions worsening and municipalities across the world converting seawater and waste-water to potable water, you would think we are changing the way we view how precious fresh water is.
The United States Geologic Service states that Ocean water represents just over 97% of the water on Earth. Almost 70% of the 2.5% of Earth’s fresh water is in glaciers. Lakes, streams and rivers account for 1% of our planet’s freshwater. The remaining 30% is groundwater and water in underground aquifers. Agriculture is the dominant user for fresh water followed by industry, then public use. Businesses and manufacturers are realizing that now more than ever the availability of quality water can pose a risk to its business. Last year, 70% of the 180 FTSE Global 500 companies said water was a substantive risk to their business, which is up from 59% in 2011. Improper use of water and the type of water can hurt their bottom line, their end product and their credibility. Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food companies, set aside $43 million last year to build water-saving and waste-water treatment facilities. The company saved over 60% of water use per ton of product in its Spain production facility. Other companies like Coca-Cola, Ford and Google are investing in similar water saving and waste-water treatment at their facilities to conserve and protect their fresh water supplies. It also benefits their local communities as well. Freshwater demands are increasing as our population grows and availability is becoming more of a challenge. Some solutions may be that people should always do a better job at water conservation. It shouldn’t matter if it is scare or not. We should think of more ways to reduce water waste. Sink, outdoor faucets and toilets can be easily and properly maintained. Landscaping/sprinklers should be used intelligently or have systems that won’t run if not needed while raining. Send us some comments on other successful examples of water conservation methods? If you have any questions on industrial water saving techniques and equipment, please contact Vince Paglino at 1-800-942-9600 or email vince@filterpure.com