Water sustainability resources and technology
Water sustainability refers to the responsible management of water resources to ensure their availability for present and future generations, while maintaining ecosystem health.
What is water sustainability?
Water sustainability refers to the careful management and responsible use of freshwater resources—both to meet people’s current needs and those of future generations. It encompasses the protection and conservation of freshwater resources, efficient use of water resources in domestic, agricultural, municipal, and industrial settings, and the integration of water management with other aspects of sustainability.
Water sustainability is based on two core principles: first, that clean water is a precious but limited resource, and second, that every person and organization should do whatever they can to conserve it. On an individual level, this might look like installing low-flow showerheads or harvesting rainwater. At a municipal level, this might look like running a public conservation campaign in anticipation of drought or ensuring wastewater treatment plants are protected against the impacts of heavy rains.
Organizations are also partially responsible for the management of freshwater resources. In commercial spaces, water sustainability can include monitoring water consumption, implementing water efficient technologies (such as low-flow toilets and faucets), recycling water in corporate buildings, and partnering with local communities to implement sustainable water management policies.Â
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of water sustainability and its importance for improved health, economic growth, and social equity. We’ll also discuss how various technologies—in particular, IT and cloud technology—can directly support water conservation efforts.
The importance of water conservation and preservation
Water is one of the most vital resources for our planet, sustaining life, industry, and agriculture. However, as the global population continues to grow, so does the demand for water. The need for sustainable water management has never been greater, as it not only helps reduce water scarcity and pollution but also promotes health, economic growth, and social equity.Â
At an individual level, having sustainable water means being able to provide every person with the minimum 50-100 liters of daily water needed to sustain life. However, accomplishing this has proven difficult. The World Health Organization tells us that 2.2 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water, while 4.2 billion go without sanitation services. Additionally, the United Nations estimates that by 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be threatened by water shortages.Â
Water conservation and preservation can help reduce water demand and minimize water waste. Here are some of the reasons why this undertaking is so vital:
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Human health:
Access to safe, clean water is essential for human health. Drinking water that hasn’t been sanitized can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, which can be fatal. Promoting water sustainability is an important first step toward creating a world in which everyone has access to safe and clean water, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases and improving overall health.
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Economic growth:
Water is a critical resource for economic growth, supporting activities such as agriculture, industry, and energy production. However, water scarcity can limit economic development, particularly in regions where water resources are limited. By promoting water conservation, we can ensure that water resources are managed efficiently and effectively, allowing for sustainable economic growth and development.
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Social equity:
Water scarcity exacerbates social inequalities, particularly in developing countries where women and girls spend hours each day collecting water for their families. By promoting water sustainability, we can ensure that more people have access to water resources, regardless of their socioeconomic status or geographic location.
To learn more about Microsoft’s actions toward a water positive future, explore the sustainability resources in this Environmental Sustainability report.
Challenges of water management
Water sustainability poses an immense collective challenge that requires coordinated action—and the work is becoming more urgent every day. Climate change has disrupted water cycles, resulting in unpredictable water supplies and more frequent droughts and floods. The demands of rapid urbanization, population growth, and industrialization are also placing increasing pressure on water resources, leading to scarcity and pollution. Furthermore, inadequate investment in water infrastructure poses significant obstacles.
One of the most significant barriers to achieving water sustainability in the commercial sector is the belief that business goals aren't compatible with sustainability efforts. Here are some of the many reasons why organizations may struggle to meet their water sustainability objectives:
- Limited awareness: Many organizations may lack a comprehensive understanding of the importance of water sustainability and the potential risks associated with unsustainable water practices. This lack of awareness can hinder efforts to establish sustainable water management practices.
- Short-term focus: Many organizations prioritize short-term goals over long-term sustainability objectives. This can result in unsustainable water practices that may yield short-term benefits but pose long-term risks.
- Conflicting priorities: In many organizations, sustainability goals may not be given the same level of priority as other business objectives such as revenue growth, cost reduction, and profitability. This can lead to a lack of resources and attention given to sustainability efforts.
- Lack of accountability and budget ownership: Organizations may not have a clear accountability structure in place for water sustainability, which can result in a lack of ownership and responsibility for achieving sustainability goals.
- Limited stakeholder engagement: Successful water sustainability efforts require engagement with a range of stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, employees, and local communities. However, organizations may not have effective engagement strategies in place or may not be aware of the importance of stakeholder engagement.
- Regulatory and policy challenges: Regulatory and policy frameworks related to water sustainability may be complex and fragmented, making it difficult for organizations to navigate and comply with regulations.
- Lack of data and metrics: Without accurate data and metrics, organizations may struggle to identify opportunities for improvement, measure progress, and report on sustainability performance.
Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach that involves building awareness of water sustainability, establishing clear accountability structures, engaging stakeholders, regulators, and policymakers, prioritizing long-term sustainability goals, and investing in expertise and technology to manage water sustainably.Â
Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability empowers organizations to accelerate sustainability progress and business growth by bringing together a range of environmental, social, and governance capabilities across the Microsoft cloud portfolio.Â
You can learn more about Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability in this article.
The role of government in water sustainability and management
Municipal governments have a crucial role to play in ensuring water sustainability. It is their responsibility to develop and implement policies, laws, and regulations that promote sustainable water management practices. They can also provide funding for water infrastructure and the development of new water sustainability technologies.
Government agencies also help ensure water sustainability at the federal level. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) helps regulate water quality and set national standards for drinking water and wastewater treatment. The EPA also provides funding and support for large water infrastructure projects through programs like the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.
Here are some other examples of how governments encourage water conservation and sustainable use at the municipal level:
- Developing water management plans: Governments can create plans and strategies for managing water resources sustainably, by considering population growth, climate change, and other factors. This includes assessing the quantity of surface water and groundwater and addressing any quality concerns.
- Enforcing regulations: Governments can enact laws and regulations to prevent water pollution, regulate water use, and ensure that water resources are managed sustainably.
- Educating the public: Governments can educate the public about the importance of water conservation and how to use water efficiently by implementing public awareness campaigns and programs.
- Coordinating water management efforts: Governments can facilitate collaboration between different stakeholders—including communities, businesses, and other levels of government—to ensure water management decisions are transparent and inclusive and that everyone’s needs are met.
- Investing in water infrastructure: Governments can invest in water infrastructure—such as water treatment plants, dams, reservoirs, and water distribution systems—to ensure that people have access to safe and clean water. This also includes adaptive planning to prepare for unexpected circumstances.
As water scarcity becomes a growing concern, governments are likely to place more emphasis on adopting sustainable wastewater treatment and water reuse technologies—desalination, for example. Another opportunity is in the development of smart and decentralized water systems. Decentralized water systems, which allow individual buildings and homes to generate and reuse their own water, offer a promising solution for reducing the burden on centralized systems and increasing reliability and efficiency.
Water sustainability technologies
There are numerous water sustainability technologies designed to help communities manage water more efficiently, reduce waste, and minimize the environmental impact of water use. In fact, water and water-related products are the sole focus of a multibillion-dollar global market.
Most water technology contributes to the advancement of water treatment and delivery and includes everything from devices that treat water to operations that use water to generate clean energy. Here are a few categories of water technology:
- Water desalination: Water desalination technologies are built around a process that removes salt and other minerals from seawater or brackish water, making it suitable for human consumption and other uses. Desalination technology has the potential to provide reliable sources of fresh water in water-scarce regions, but it’s energy-intensive and can be expensive.
- Water purification: Water purification technology removes impurities, contaminants, and other unwanted substances from water to improve the safety of drinking water, reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses, and make water suitable for industrial and agricultural uses.
- Water productivity: Many technologies have been developed to create value in the agricultural industry through more efficient use of water. This category includes drip irrigation—an approach that increases crop productivity by delivering water directly to the roots of plants—as well as smart irrigation systems that help determine the optimal amount of water for different crops.
- Water efficiency: Water efficiency can be attained in households through technologies like smart water meters, leak detection systems, and water-efficient appliances. These systems work together to help reduce waste by measuring and moderating water consumption and prompting repairs if something isn’t working properly.
- Water harvesting: Rainwater harvesting systems can collect rainwater from roofs and other surfaces for use in irrigation and other non-potable uses. This practice helps reduce demand on municipal water supplies, reduces runoff and erosion, and increases drought resilience.
- Water and energy: Water plays an important role in creating clean energy through hydropower and hydrokinetic technologies. Both hydropower and hydrokinetic technologies are renewable, making them a clean source of low-carbon energy.
- Water and IT: IT plays a critical role in water sustainability by enabling the collection, analysis, and sharing of data related to water resources and management. IT can also support decision-making by providing predictive models, simulations, and scenario analyses to optimize water management strategies, improve resource allocation, and increase resilience to water-related challenges such as droughts and climate change.
Water sustainability and IT
IT has a significant role to play in achieving water sustainability. Cloud technology in particular can enable organizations to optimize their water use, reduce waste, improve efficiency, and enhance their resilience to water-related risks. With the increasing availability and affordability of cloud-based solutions, organizations of all sizes and sectors can use the power of cloud technology to advance their water sustainability goals.
Here are some of the areas cloud technologies can have the greatest impact:
- Data collection and analysis: Cloud technology can be used to collect and analyze data on water consumption, water quality, and other relevant metrics. This data can be used to identify opportunities for improvement, monitor progress, and inform decision-making related to water sustainability.
- Real-time monitoring: Cloud technology can enable remote monitoring and control of water systems, such as irrigation systems, wastewater treatment plants, and water distribution networks. This can help organizations optimize water use, reduce water loss, and improve efficiency.
- Collaboration and engagement: Cloud technology can facilitate collaboration and engagement among stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, employees, and local communities. This can help organizations build partnerships, share best practices, and raise awareness about water sustainability.
- Predictive analytics and modeling: Cloud technology can enable the use of predictive analytics and modeling to forecast water demand, identify potential risks and opportunities, and optimize water reduction strategies.
- Real-time reporting and transparency: Cloud technology can provide real-time reporting on water consumption, water quality, and other relevant metrics through the application of geographic information systems, Internet of Things sensors, and AI.
- Resource optimization: Cloud technology can help organizations optimize their use of resources such as energy, chemicals, and materials in water management processes, reducing waste and improving efficiency.
- Enhanced resiliency: Cloud technology can improve the resiliency of water systems by providing redundant data storage and disaster recovery capabilities, ensuring continuity of water services in the face of natural disasters, cyberattacks, and other disruptions.
Sustainability resources
Microsoft has made a commitment to become water positive by 2030. Additionally, Microsoft has implemented several initiatives and technologies that support global water sustainability efforts. These include:
Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability
Unify data intelligence, build sustainable IT infrastructure, create sustainable value chains, and reduce the environmental impact of operations with Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability. This solution includes new capabilities that help organizations track against reporting requirements and take water accounting to the next level.
Microsoft Sustainability Manager
A Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability solution, Microsoft Sustainability Manager helps organizations take a flexible, data-first approach to water sustainability through multi-source data acquisition, visualization, analysis, and reporting.
AI for Earth
This program provides funding and resources to individuals and organizations working on solutions to global environmental challenges, including water sustainability. The program supports projects that use AI and other advanced technologies to improve water management, monitoring, and conservation.
Water Risk Monetizer
This tool, developed by Microsoft in partnership with Ecolab and Trucost, helps businesses assess the financial impact of water scarcity and pollution on their operations and supply chains.
Water Resilience Coalition
Launched in 2020, the Water Resilience Coalition is an initiative of the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate. Sixteen companies, including Microsoft, are founding members and have pledged to work collectively on water issues.
Azure Data Manager for Agriculture
Azure Data Manager for Agriculture extends the Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform with industry-specific data connectors and capabilities to connect farm data from disparate sources.
In addition to these technologies and initiatives, Microsoft has developed many resources designed to support individuals, organizations, and governments alike on their journey toward water sustainability. Here are a few worth looking at:
Microsoft Sustainability Learning Center
Find detailed information about environmental sustainability topics and technologies. Visit the center to browse videos, white papers, training, and other resources from Microsoft and industry experts.
Microsoft Sustainability Guide
Get guidance and information about Microsoft Sustainability solutions you can use to reduce resource consumption and waste, build brand trust, and improve margins in this sustainability e-book. Learn how to assess your organization’s environmental footprint, accelerate progress toward sustainable goals, and transform your organization for the better.
Microsoft Unlocked
Read stories from the heart and soul of innovation, including essays on everything from the future of farming to building a water-positive future in Silicon Valley.
Accelerate your sustainability journey
Wherever you are on your path to water sustainability, Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability can help you accelerate your progress and transform your business through environmental, social, and governance capabilities.
Frequently asked questions
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Water sustainability refers to the responsible management of water resources to ensure their availability for present and future generations, while maintaining ecosystem health.
It encompasses the protection and conservation of freshwater resources, efficient use of water resources in domestic, agricultural, municipal, and industrial settings, and the integration of water management with other aspects of sustainability.
-
Water conservation helps reduce water scarcity and pollution and promotes health, economic growth, and social equity. Water is one of the most vital resources for our planet, sustaining life, industry, and agriculture. Without it, life as we know it would cease to exist.
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There are many barriers to achieving water sustainability. These include:
- The disruption of water cycles due to climate change.
- Demands of rapid urbanization, industrialization, and population growth.
- Inadequate investment in water infrastructure.
- Difficulty holding organizations accountable for water use.
Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach that involves building awareness of water sustainability, establishing clear accountability structures, engaging stakeholders, regulators, and policymakers, prioritizing long-term sustainability goals, and investing in expertise and technology to manage water sustainably.
-
There are numerous water sustainability technologies designed to help communities manage water more efficiently, reduce waste, and minimize the environmental impact of water use. Most water technologies contribute to the advancement of water treatment and delivery. These technologies include:
- Water desalination technology
- Water purification technology
- Water productivity technology
- Water efficiency technology
- Water harvesting technology
- Hydropower and hydrokinetic technologies
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Additionally, IT and cloud technology help facilitate water sustainability through:
- Data collection and analysis
- Real-time monitoring
- Collaboration and engagement
- Predictive analytics and modeling
- Real-time reporting and transparency
- Resource optimization
- Resiliency
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Municipal governments have a crucial role to play in ensuring water sustainability. It is their responsibility to develop and implement policies, laws, and regulations that promote sustainable water management practices. They can also provide funding for water infrastructure and the development of new water sustainability technologies. Government agencies also help ensure water sustainability at the federal level.
Here are some examples of how governments encourage water conservation and sustainable water management:
- Developing water management plans
- Enforcing regulations
- Educating the public
- Coordinating water management efforts
- Investing in water infrastructure
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