Water scarcity has become an urgent global issue, and it's getting worse with each passing year. This essential resource isn't just crucial for human hydration but plays a significant role in agriculture, industry, and the environment.

Currently, water shortages are affecting many areas worldwide, pushing the situation to crisis levels. For example, in Mexico, about 60% of regions are experiencing moderate to severe droughts, with 90% of Mexico City facing serious water shortages.

Experts predict that the city might run out of water in the coming months.

This is not an isolated incident. Similar water scarcity situations are becoming common in cities and communities across the globe. According to the World Wildlife Fund, by next year, 66% of the global population may face water shortages, which could threaten $58 trillion in economic value every year.

This World Water Day, we need to understand the urgency of this situation and start taking action. The theme for this year's World Water Day is “Water for Peace,” highlighting that water can be a key to global stability and prosperity, especially as it becomes an increasingly scarce resource. Embracing ecological transformation is the most powerful driving force to make our planet more livable. With the technology, knowledge, and experience we already have, water reuse can be an essential tool to combat this growing threat.

Causes of Water Scarcity Beyond Climate Change

The factors contributing to water scarcity are more complex than we often realize. Of course, climate change is a primary cause. The United Nations reports that for every 1°C rise in global temperatures, renewable water resources decrease by 20%. But that's not all.

Other contributing factors include population growth, urbanization, and the increasing demands of agriculture and industry. According to the OECD, agriculture, which provides us with food, accounts for 70% of global water usage. In many regions, groundwater depletion is happening faster than it can be replenished, further aggravating the shortage. Water pollution is also another major issue that's worsening the situation.

Water Reuse as a Sustainable Solution

Large-scale water reuse can help protect our planet's natural water resources, provide solutions that support local ecosystems, and create a sustainable freshwater supply. Water reuse is a continuous process that allows communities and organizations to plan infrastructure development in an orderly manner, creating a foundation that can be expanded based on local needs to enhance future water availability. Essentially, all water is recycled, but the quality and treatment level of the water determine what it can be used for after being recycled. With the right technology and processes, we can already use treated wastewater for non-potable purposes. In the future, we may even treat water to the level where it can be used as drinking water.

Veolia's water solutions leverage a full range of core technologies to create innovative solutions and support every stage of the continuous process. These technologies include Membrane Bioreactors (MBR), Ultrafiltration (UF), Nanofiltration (NF), Reverse Osmosis (RO), Activated Carbon, Ozone, Biological Filtration, and UV Disinfection.

Reducing Pollution and Emissions to Sensitive Environments

The Broad Run Water Recycling Facility is designed to provide Loudoun County with additional wastewater treatment capacity, treating up to 11 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater. The facility incorporates advanced nutrient removal processes, along with coagulant additions, as a supplement to biological phosphorus removal, MBR, activated carbon post-treatment, and UV disinfection to ensure the treated water meets permit limits. The effluent from this facility is released into the Broad Run tributary of the Potomac River, which eventually flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Since the facility is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed near downstream drinking water intakes, the discharged wastewater must meet strict discharge requirements. This system also connects with local commercial clients to recycle wastewater, which they can use for cooling, irrigation, firefighting, and toilet flushing.

Advanced Pollution Control and Recycling

At the Federated Co-operatives Limited refinery in Saskatchewan, Canada, the refinery is one of the largest freshwater users in the city. The company is committed to environmental protection, implementing a $20 million major environmental project as part of its 30% operational expansion. This project involves building an advanced wastewater treatment facility to remove solids, oils, phenols, nitrogen compounds, organics, and other pollutants. Additionally, the refinery aims to desalinate treated water for steam production, eliminate volatile organic compounds from wastewater ponds, and increase the use of wastewater treated by municipal facilities.

Veolia combined ZeeWeed MBR with high pH RO pre-treatment optimization and OPUS® technology to provide design, construction, and commissioning services for the five-stage wastewater treatment solution. Veolia's solution eliminated all wastewater discharges, recovered most of the wastewater for steam generation, and reduced the refinery's freshwater demand by 28%, equivalent to the annual consumption of about 3,100 homes in Regina. Furthermore, the volatile organic compound emissions from the wastewater pond were reduced, significantly lowering the environmental footprint of the refinery.

Non-Potable Water Reuse

Kuwait, one of the driest regions in the world, faces challenges in coping with water pressure and meeting the needs of its growing population, which increased by over a million people from 2011 to 2021. The country lacks permanent rivers or lakes, and due to continuous pumping exceeding replenishment rates, local groundwater supplies are deteriorating both in quantity and quality. Thus, Kuwait needs to develop new water sources to reduce its dependence on seawater desalination.

Veolia, along with other companies, was tasked with designing, building, owning, operating, and maintaining the Sulabiya wastewater treatment plant, which handles nearly 100 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater. The facility was later expanded, increasing its treatment capacity by 60 MGD, bringing the total capacity to 160 MGD. Veolia used UF and RO membranes to support this global largest water reuse project, which regenerates water to support Kuwait's dairy and vegetable farming businesses, setting a benchmark for water reuse in the Middle East.

Enhanced Freshwater Supply

Santa Monica's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Project (SWIP) is designed to establish a drought-resistant, reliable water supply for the city, setting unprecedented high standards for sustainable water infrastructure. As a coastal city just west of Los Angeles, Santa Monica enjoys a unique advantage in addressing two issues at once: meeting the daily water needs of over 93,000 residents and 2,700 businesses while increasing the local groundwater supply.

Veolia utilized the LEAPmbr® system to help the city build a truly groundbreaking solution—the first underground advanced wastewater treatment facility in California. The MBR effluent undergoes further treatment through filtration, reverse osmosis, UV, and free chlorine disinfection. SWIP recycles wastewater and collects rainwater, producing up to 1,690 acre-feet of advanced treated water each year, about 10% of Santa Monica's water supply, reducing dependence on imported water.

Water reuse is a powerful and sustainable way to combat the growing global water crisis. By adopting continuous water reuse processes and innovative technologies, we can create solutions that not only protect the environment but also ensure reliable water supplies for future generations. It's time to act and embrace water reuse as a crucial tool in solving the world's water shortage challenges. What do you think, Lykkers? Will water reuse be part of the solution in your community?