The rise of artificial intelligence has spurred the proliferation of data centers, increasing the stress on water supplies by existing manufacturing and residential consumption. Climate impacts have resulted in more frequent droughts and are changing the very nature of rain events. Rain intensity is increasing, resulting in increased flooding. Essentially, at the very moment that water demand is increasing, the water landscape is changing.
Water availability, which was once automatically assumed in most parts of the U.S., is no longer a given at the same time that demand is increasing. That is why proactive and innovative approaches to water management are necessary to sustain long-term operations at industries around the world.
Today, water reuse is that innovative approach. Water reuse is a tool that can bridge the gap from water supply to water demand. From critical materials to food and beverage, automotive to AI, water reuse can ensure that industrial entities across the U.S. continue to drive economic growth while protecting the resources of the communities in which they operate.
At the WateReuse Association, we are advancing initiatives which accelerate the adoption of water recycling across the industrial sector. These initiatives ensure that industries have the tools they need to implement fit-for-purpose solutions which drive profitability while preserving precious water resources.
Last year, we worked with Congress to introduce the Advancing Water Reuse Act (H.R.2940). This legislation aims to catalyze the use of recycled water by manufacturers, data centers, and other industrial entities by establishing a tax credit for companies which invest in reuse infrastructure. In May of this year, we supported the introduction of a Senate companion to this legislation. With the support of our partners and members, our work to implement this tax credit will help ensure that industries have access to cost-effective solutions to implement reuse.
We’re also continuing our work with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on expanding the adoption of reuse nationwide. In April of this year, we partnered with EPA to launch the Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0 (WRAP 2.0). WRAP 2.0 focuses heavily on water for industry and builds upon the ongoing, iterative Action Plan initially launched in partnership with WateReuse in 2020.
Our commitment under WRAP 2.0 focuses on developing tools which bridge policy and practice. As part of the new Action Plan, we will map recycled water supplies available to industrial users across the country, create workforce training tools tailored for operators of recycled water systems, develop a water reuse pledge program for industry, support the use of recycled water in beverage manufacturing, and convene companies from across multiple industrial verticals to address barriers to scaling up the use of recycled water.
These federal actions are accelerating a reality which has already been proven on the ground. Major industrial players – from data centers to energy and food production – have already been leveraging reuse to protect their communities’ water supplies and ensure long-term water availability.
In an example of effective public-private partnership, Microsoft partnered with the City of Quincy in 2021 to develop the Quincy Water Reuse Utility, a facility designed to treat industrial cooling water. The system removes minerals from the water, extending the life of critical heat transfer equipment and improving operational efficiency. In addition to its operational benefits, the Quincy Water Reuse Utility saves 138 million gallons per year of municipal water supply.
Other industrial players opt for privately-owned, onsite reuse systems: since 2010, Frito-Lay has operated the first U.S. based food processing plant to produce water up to drinking water standards for food production. The facility relies on a 650,000-gallon-per-day process water treatment and recovery system, recycling up to 75% of the facility’s process water. This has cut Frito-Lay’s annual water use by 100 million gallons.
The future of this work depends on convening experts and developing practical resources. From June 8 to 10, WateReuse Association and the Water Environment Federation are gathering business and utility leaders in Chicago for critical dialogues across technology, operations, and policy at our Industrial Water Solutions event. The expertise and capacity built at events like this are critical to ensuring more innovative projects come to fruition.
Through our advocacy efforts supporting Advancing Water Reuse Act, our partnership with EPA, and our events, we are ensuring that more industries have the technical knowledge, cost-effective solutions, and regulatory pathways necessary to implement water recycling systems.
As water availability continues to reshape the industrial landscape, reuse is increasingly critical to the bottom line, to the environment, and to the communities which industries call home. By combining federal advocacy with the cross-sector collaboration of our events, we are dismantling the barriers to adoption and scaling the solutions our water future demands. The stability of our businesses, our economy, and our communities depend on it.
