Water proves invaluable in countless ways.
In the 21st century, the importance of clean and affordable drinking water has never been more pressing. With over 2.2 billion people worldwide lacking access to "safely managed drinking water" as defined by the United Nations, the need for change is undeniable.
The global water consumption has increased sevenfold in the past century, with the majority of this consumption occurring in agriculture and industry, indirectly present in the food we eat and the products we consume. This high usage has led companies to factor water consumption and costs more into their budget calculations.
One company at the forefront of water conservation in the apparel and textile industry is Kornit Digital, which offers a 100% water-free digital printing solution. Their NeoPigment inks are safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable, contributing significantly to sustainable water management.
Another key player in the water conservation sector is Watts Water Technologies, a global company specializing in innovative plumbing, heating, and water quality solutions. Watts emphasizes water safety, energy efficiency, and conservation, aligning with the UN’s goal of making safe and affordable drinking water a human right.
Technological innovations driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) are also making significant strides, particularly in sectors such as mining. AI applications optimize water use, reduce consumption by up to 30%, and increase treatment efficiency and recycling, aiding in water conservation efforts crucial for safe water accessibility.
The global water scarcity combined with chronic underinvestment in water infrastructure is expected to create long-term structural growth drivers. To address this, key areas for Tetra Tech include water supply, wastewater treatment, watershed management, and water resilience. Tetra Tech is a consulting firm specializing in water and environment, providing technical solutions to governments and private clients.
Regulatory bodies should be empowered to hold companies accountable if their activities pollute local water supplies. In the USA, nearly 23 billion liters of water are lost through leaky pipes every day. To combat this, initiatives addressing water reuse, efficiency, and contaminants are vital to ensuring clean and affordable drinking water.
On the regulatory and security front, states like New York are pioneering cybersecurity regulations for water infrastructure to protect against cyber threats that could disrupt water services and public health. This highlights the importance of safeguarding water systems as part of infrastructure resilience and human right fulfillment.
Governments could increase investments in repairing and upgrading water networks due to a higher price for water. One of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals is to make access to safe and affordable drinking water a basic human right. This multi-faceted approach, which includes companies like Watts, technological innovations driven by AI, policy advocacy groups, and regulatory bodies, all contribute toward the UN’s goal by producing sustainable water management and quality control products, implementing AI-driven water optimization technologies, securing funding for critical water infrastructure, and enhancing cybersecurity to guarantee uninterrupted access to safe drinking water.
This concerted effort supports the UN’s goal of making safe and affordable drinking water accessible as a basic human right worldwide. Diamonds may be expensive due to a shortage of supply everywhere, but water, essential for human survival, is surprisingly cheap where it is considered abundant, but expensive in areas where it is scarce. It is crucial that we continue to address the global water crisis to ensure a sustainable future for all.
[1] Watts Water Technologies - Sustainable Water Management [2] AI-driven Water Optimization Technologies [3] Funding Critical Water Infrastructure [4] Cybersecurity Regulations for Water Infrastructure
- In the real-estate sector, investors might consider the environmental impact of properties they invest in, as companies that prioritize sustainable water management, like Watts Water Technologies, could potentially offer higher returns in the long term, considering the UN's goal of ensuring safe and affordable drinking water.
- To minimize the carbon footprint of their products, some businesses in the fashion industry, such as Kornit Digital, are investing in cutting-edge environmental-science technologies, like 100% water-free digital printing solutions, which could be a game-changer for the climate-change agenda.
- As the housing-market evolves, homebuyers may increasingly value properties equipped with water-saving solutions, such as AI-driven water optimization technologies, given the global water scarcity and the increasing importance of efficient water usage.
- Governments could explore alternative financing methods for crucial water infrastructure projects, such as tapping into finance from the science and technology sector (like those investing in AI-driven water optimization) or via environmental bonds, to fund these critical investments, which would lead to better environmental protection and improved access to clean, affordable water.
