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Members' Analysis
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Thinking grey about water
Author
Sheila Moorcroft, Research Director, Shaping Tomorrow
World water supplies are under significant pressure in almost every corner of the globe, and that pressure can only increase as demand increases in line with population growth, economic growth and greater affluence. The shortages present major challenges and are forcing new approaches; they also present opportunities. Reusing grey water may present our most effective option.
Our quick, high level, global assessment of this trend's Signal Strength
| Signal Strength |
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| Decision | manage | |||||
| Impact | major | |||||
| Likelihood | likely | |||||
| Urgency | now | |||||
| Time-frame | 0-4 years |
What is changing?
In the developed world, water shortages have, until recently, tended to be an occasional annoyance, or a crisis seen on the news. Increasingly, supplies are inadequate. Almost 75% of Poland's rivers are too polluted even for industrial use; in Spain there are plans to bring in water by ship ; in India farmers were arrested for stealing water. By 2025 / 2030 half the world's population is expected to experience severe water stress and shortages; three quarters by 2050 .
Many of the necessary technologies to address the challenges are available and changes are afoot to begin to address the issue.
An estimated 60% of household water could be recaptured and reused but such changes will not happen without encouragement. Subsidies on water are being reduced and water rates are rising in Canada, the USA, Britain, South Africa and Australia - forcing users to rethink consumption. Differentiated pricing for drinking versus sanitation water supplies are also being explored. In the USA water reuse is estimated to be growing at 15% per annum.
Regulations are getting tighter - in China 70% of water must be treated and 60% recycled. In France, Danone, a food company, has already reduced water consumption by 30% by treating and reusing its waste water.
Many of the necessary technologies to address the challenges are available and changes are afoot to begin to address the issue.
An estimated 60% of household water could be recaptured and reused but such changes will not happen without encouragement. Subsidies on water are being reduced and water rates are rising in Canada, the USA, Britain, South Africa and Australia - forcing users to rethink consumption. Differentiated pricing for drinking versus sanitation water supplies are also being explored. In the USA water reuse is estimated to be growing at 15% per annum.
Regulations are getting tighter - in China 70% of water must be treated and 60% recycled. In France, Danone, a food company, has already reduced water consumption by 30% by treating and reusing its waste water.
Why is this important?
Changing attitudes and behaviours among companies and consumers will take time and require sustained, concerted and incentivised effort at national, local, personal and corporate levels.
Companies will need clear water strategies to ensure the quality and quantity of water needed; to reduce resource costs; be more climate change proof. There will also be opportunities to rethink and redesign processes to reduce or change water usage; to share resources with other companies.
Water related technologies to capture, clean, filter and reuse water - ranging from small scale water filters which can be used for emergencies or longer term, through to major water filtration plants - will present investment opportunities. Clean technologies are already attracting new levels of Venture Capital interest: water will be an increasing focus.
Building regulations will require water capture and dual water supply systems to be installed; the retro-fit market could be enormous.
Recapturing and reusing grey water is almost certainly set to be a major focus of investment; it is usually also cheaper but less glamorous than solutions such as desalination. We need to think grey about water.
Companies will need clear water strategies to ensure the quality and quantity of water needed; to reduce resource costs; be more climate change proof. There will also be opportunities to rethink and redesign processes to reduce or change water usage; to share resources with other companies.
Water related technologies to capture, clean, filter and reuse water - ranging from small scale water filters which can be used for emergencies or longer term, through to major water filtration plants - will present investment opportunities. Clean technologies are already attracting new levels of Venture Capital interest: water will be an increasing focus.
Building regulations will require water capture and dual water supply systems to be installed; the retro-fit market could be enormous.
Recapturing and reusing grey water is almost certainly set to be a major focus of investment; it is usually also cheaper but less glamorous than solutions such as desalination. We need to think grey about water.
