Report: Circular Economy Offers Solutions to Water Shortages Worldwide

A shift to a circular economy could help save more than 400 billion m3 of water every year. 

A recent report by ING, a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation, concludes that while a circular economy may not succeed at eradicating water shortages around the world, it can reduce those shortages by focusing on water-use reduction, as well as water storage, wastewater treatment, and reclamation.

What is a circular economy? In contrast, a traditional, linear economy is one where an asset is produced, used, and then disposed of. In a circular economy, a resource is kept in circulation as long as possible through recovery and reuse, extracting maximum value.

Researchers examined six regions of the world: California, Ghana, Bangladesh, Northern India, the Netherlands, and the United Arab Emirates. These areas were selected because they all are prone to water shortages due to either meteorological or geographical conditions.

Infrastructure and Technology Opportunities

When it comes to transforming linear water systems into circular ones, the first step is to improve the technology used in the current systems. That includes installing water-saving irrigation systems in agricultural areas, and wastewater treatment and reclamation plants in highly populated areas.

For example, in Northern India and Bangladesh, whose economies heavily rely on water-demanding agricultural and textile industries, the easiest infrastructure changes to achieve a circular water system are bringing water to the area and building facilities to treat wastewater for reuse.

One particular technology that can bring water reuse to remote locations is Fluence’s membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). By using passive aeration, MABR slashes the energy needed for aeration by 90%. MABR can treat sewage and other wastewater to the point that it can be used for crop irrigation, closing the circle.

The Need for Behavioral Changes

In areas where water infrastructure and water irrigation systems are already advanced, the impact of technology won’t be as effective. Instead, a shift toward a circular economy will require an emphasis on behavioral changes to cope with water shortages. That includes reducing water demand and water pollution, improving the retention of water, and reclaiming or reusing water.

As more and more areas of the world are affected by climate change, including global warming, droughts, and sometimes overwhelming floods, adopting circular water measures will help relieve not only water stress, but also the potential for financial losses.

While the implementation of circular water systems faces many obstacles, such as infrastructure costs and skilled labor training, the benefits are plentiful when it comes to improving the livelihood of local populations, businesses, and the environment. 

Source: Fluence Corp

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Taxonomy

• Wastewater Use
• Reclaimed Wastewater
• Water Reuse & Recycling
• Water Reclamation
• Wastewater Treatment
• Industrial Water Reuse
• Reclaimed Water
• Water Recycling
• Reuse
• Circular Economy

6 Comments

1. The farther away from nature you look for answers the more problems you make for yourself. Partial circle economy is real easy. 100% which includes all atmospheric gases is more difficult but we now have working solutions for space vehicles, habitats, and generational ships. When you have a circular idea and it requires government regulations, financial assistance, or a mechanical device you need to start all over. Just when you think you have a solution some organized crime figure comes out and announces taxing people for their personal income. Nature never charges a tax or creates a regulation. 3.5 billion years and the Earth is still taking care of itself. Go local or go home.

2. The Largest (​Universally ​side-stepped) ​pollution ​problem of ​greatest threat ​to the Ocean (​and Humanity) ​is disposal of ​poorly treated (​anoxic) waste ​water to marine ​waterways by ​rural/urban ​populations - ​depleting ​pressure ​aquatic oxygen, ​simultaneously ​destroying ​natural ​ecosystems. ​Self-powered, ​scalable "​Sustainable ​Populations ​without Waste" ​infrastructure ​is available ​today to end ​such travesty - ​to end landfill ​(for energy), ​and reclaim/​distribute ​water (for re-​use). To learn ​more visit ​www.baleen.com   and twitter.​​com/ObstYuri 

3. Good day, thank you but as Fluence states that it's ING bank not believing in circular economy.  

   I personally believe in circular economy so I invested everything I had in our tool http://www.pranasustainablewater.ch/en/index.php

   Water allocations and content of products ending in wastewater are important for example if basic goods not water intensive are imported versus export of water intensive goods, this must be checked also in terms of pollution impact (1 liter of polluted water can contaminate on average 8 litres of freshwater resources). 

   In case you wish to act positively, feel free to fill-in our form on http://www.pranasustainablewater.ch/en/form_service/index.php either to suggest supplies of wastewater, or to treat wastewater or to supply treated wastewater. We are the only platform commoditising wastewater valorisation infrastructures to fund wastewater circular economy infrastructures.

   Kind regards,  

   1 Comment reply

   1. Hallo Valerie,

      when i listen to your ideas while thinking about the water and wastewater infrastructure in Lebanon -> this country should be an "El Dorado" to your company !! Badly damaged potable water network everywhere and nearly no wastewater-treatment in the whole region.

      Is there a chance to develop / finance a best practise modell (maybe near Beirut) ?

4. One of the South Asian countries facing acute water shortage is Pakistan. As far as I know, there is only traditional linear water economy. It is high time concerned authorities in Pakistan think about implementing circular economy.

5. Yes, agree wih Guy. The nature will probably also be here a few billion year longer than man, if we allow Climate Change to proceed without doing anything.

6. Since the climate change scam has been exposed. Your article is irrelevant. However if you can allow yourself to be educated as to the earth's natural cycles you will see the circular economy would work. Only obstacle holding it back is The UN and all governments. There is plenty of water, food, and energy for everyone.  MSM needs to be jailed for their part in the climate hoax. I will give you one free piece of information. Decentralize. The costly infrastructure you speak of is quite useless in the 21st century.   One thing is for sure. If you do not ask questions you will never learn.  Hint: nature has been here a few billion years longer than man.