Industrial Water Conservation Research Articles

The heterogeneous effects of non-hydro renewable energy and water resources on industrial development of the Yellow river and Yangtze river basins

Exploring the relationship between non-hydro renewable energy (NHRE) and water resources can help achieve high-quality development in China’s industrial sector under the constraints of water conservation. This study investigated the interrelationships and regional heterogeneity of capital, labor, water and NHRE in the industrial sectors of 158 cities in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) and Yangtze River Basin (YZRB) in China using a heterogeneous stochastic frontier model. Based on reconstructed NHRE consumption data, it is found that the NHRE output elasticity (OE) in the NHRE-rich YRB (median value: 0.1) was lower than that in the NHRE-scarce YZRB (0.24), while the water OE in the water-rich YZRB (0.07) was lower than that in the water-scarce YRB (0.09). Classification analysis of infrastructure construction revealed that the energy OE in NHRE outflow regions (0.11) was lower than in NHRE inflow regions (0.28). This study also optimized the allocation of projected NHRE additions in China by 2030 and found that the optimized strategy can generate an additional industrial output of 8.8 × 1011 Yuan and save 8.6 × 107 tons of water compared to existing strategies. The results indicated that a win-win situation of industrial growth and water conservation could be achieved by reallocation of NHRE.

Dynamic Evaluation of Water Resources Management Performance in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

The evaluation of water resources management performance (WRMP) can provide guidance for water resources management. This paper constructs a scientific WRMP evaluation index system based on “water resources–water environment–water ecology”. Secondly, the game variable weight matter–element extension model is appropriately introduced to dynamically evaluate the WRMP level of the provinces (cities) in the YREB from 2012 to 2021, and Arcgis is used to analyze the spatial and temporal variations in the performance level of each sub-system. Lastly, a geographical detector model is used to explore the main factors influencing the WRMP in the Yangtze River Economic Balt (YREB). The main findings are as follows: (1) The overall provincial WRMP level in the YREB has been improving from 2012 to 2021, and the performance of water resource utilization (WRU) and water environment treatment (WET) are high in the east and low in the west, while the performance of water ecological protection (WEP) shows a trend of continuous improvement. (2) Compared with the model without variable weight modification, the game variable weight matter–element extension model can reflect the influence of the measured value of the index on the evaluation result as much as possible. (3) The top eight factors that have a greater impact on the WRMP level are the industrial water conservation rate, water resource development and utilization rate, water resource sustainability index, sewage diameter ratio, urban water penetration rate, industrial wastewater treatment completion rate, ecological construction and protection of the year to complete the investment in GDP, and the water ecological carrying capacity growth rate. The interaction types of each influence factor are nonlinear enhancement and two-factor enhancement.

Determinants of efficient water use and conservation in the Colombian manufacturing industry using machine learning

Water is a fundamental aspect of achieving sustainable industries, and it is essential for firms to make efficient use of it. However, not all companies have sustainable water management practices in place. In this study, we aim to answer the research question: What factors influenced the efficient use and saving of water in the Colombian manufacturing industry in 2020? We used data from the Annual Manufacturing Survey and the Industrial Environmental Survey conducted by DANE to investigate this question. Our study grouped the variables into four categories: Environmental commitment, Risk mitigation, Innovation, and Location. We used two supervised learning machine-learning algorithms—decision tree and logit regression with LASSO regularization—to analyze the data. The results underscore those investments in wastewater treatment, total water consumption, and commitments to air and climate protection emerge as pivotal drivers for embracing sustainable practices. Moreover, the geographical location of companies significantly influences the likelihood of implementing water conservation initiatives. To enhance efficient water use and conservation in the Colombian manufacturing sector, several targeted public policies are recommended. These include offering fiscal and financial incentives to encourage investments in advanced wastewater treatment and reuse technologies. Additionally, advocating for specialized training and environmental education programs tailored for corporate personnel is crucial. Moreover, establishing initiatives for environmental certification and eco-labeling within the corporate sector can significantly promote sustainable water practices. Lastly, enforcing more stringent environmental regulations and standards, especially for industries like Textile, Metallurgy, and Manufacturing of rubber and plastic products, is essential to ensure responsible water management across the sector.

The effect of social economy-water resources-water environment coupling system on water consumption and pollution emission based on input-output analysis in Changchun city, China

With the rapid development of social economy, water resources consumed excessively and water pollution emissions increased. However, few studies have considered the feedback of water resources and water environment on social economy. In this study, a social economy-water resources-water environment coupling system was constructed by multiple regression model and system dynamic model. Five scenarios were set to investigate the relationship among industrial restructuring, pollution treatment and water conservation in Changchun city, China. Based on input-output model, this study analyzed the effect of the coupling system on the economic efficiency of sectoral water consumption and pollution emission. The driving factors were identified and the contributions were quantified using structural decomposition analysis model. The results showed that pollution treatment and water conservation promoted economic development and increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 36.76%. The comprehensive effect of industrial restructuring, pollution treatment and water conservation was better than single measures, which made the GDP increment (44.39%), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) reduction (34.11%), Ammonia Nitrogen (NH3–N) reduction (52.50%) and total water consumption increment (7.56%) largest. Meanwhile, the comprehensive effect improved the water consumption efficiency of agriculture and service industries, reduced indirect water consumption in industrial sectors, and improved the economic benefits of pollution emissions in all sectors. The industrial restructuring further increased the contribution of population to COD emissions and the contribution of emission intensity to NH3–N emissions. Under the condition of comprehensive effect, the final demand level was the main factor for the increase of COD and NH3–N, contributing 36998.80 t and 821.07 t, respectively. Therefore, the government should pay attention to saving water resources and protecting water environment while developing social economy. The study quantified the coupling relationship between social economy, water resources and water environment, and provided guidance for water resources management in sectors.

Multi-Level Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation for Water Resources Carrying Capacity in Xuzhou City, China

Water resources, as an essential natural resource, plays an irreplaceable role in the ecological environment, social economy, and human survival. Water resource carrying capacity (WRCC), as an important indicator of sustainable development, has been widely used to assess the capacity of water resources to support economic and social development. Using Xuzhou City as a case study, the sustainable capacity of water resources in the current (from 2012 to 2020) and future (projected scenarios in 2025 and 2030) stages were investigated by constructing a multi-level fuzzy-based evaluation model. The results indicated that the average WRCC score is 0.4388 in Xuzhou City, ranging from 0.2908 to 0.6330, with a significant decline in the score value of 0.4644 in 2019 but an apparent improvement in WRCC from 2012 to 2020. However, the continued pressure on water resources sustainable development is unchanged in Xuzhou, according to the projected assessment of WRCC in 2025 and 2030. Overall, the WRCC in Xuzhou City will be overloaded under future development scenarios, i.e., sustainable development mode (Scenario A), water conservation mode (Scenario B), rapid socioeconomic development mode (Scenario C), and adjustment of industrial structure mode (Scenario D). Thus, several measures, such as industrial restructuring and water conservation and utilization, should be conducted to enhance the carrying capacity of regional water resources and ensure the quality and sustainability of regional social and economic development. The results can provide a reference for the rational utilization of water resources in Xuzhou and are of some significance in promoting the city’s coordinated socioeconomic growth.

A novel framework for water accounting and auditing for efficient management of industrial water use

The importance of industrial water resource management has increased owing to the increasingly significant issues of global water scarcity and water environmental degradation, which results in the need for more precise data as well as more advanced management strategies. The majority of industrial water resource management frameworks currently in use fall short in their attempts to perform microscopic section accounting and analysis and are unable to fully obtain and effectively implement product information regarding water. This unquestionably made it more challenging to pinpoint the effects of production pollution, accomplish efficient water conservation in industry, and raise the bar for meticulous management of water resources. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel framework for water accounting and auditing that combines traditional water accounting and water mass balance for measuring, evaluating, and diagnosing water flowing in various production links as well as water finance, to facilitate the effective management of industrial water resources and their integration with enterprise benefits management. Specifically, the framework suggests a new accounting structure that successfully connects the conventional water accounting system with the exact quantitative and economic accounting of industrial production links by revamping the title and substance of water accounting. As opposed to traditional water accounting and industrial water mass balance analysis, this will further improve the system's ability to track internal, intricate production links and the economics of industrial water management, respectively. The case study shows that this framework has considerable benefits for industrial companies in terms of water efficiency, product structure, and cleaner production, which better fits the goal of creating a water-saving society and the global industrial water resources management strategy.

Optimal design of exchange water networks with control inputs in Eco-Industrial Parks

Industrial water conservation is an important adaptation to preserve the environment. Eco-Industrial Parks (EIPs) have been designed to encourage the establishment of water exchange networks between enterprises in order to minimize freshwater consumption and wastewater discharge by maximizing wastewater reuse. In this paper, a mathematical programming model for designing and optimizing industrial water networks in EIPs is studied by formulating and solving Single-Leader–Multi-Follower (SLMF) game problems. Enterprises (followers) aim to minimize their operating costs by reusing wastewater from other enterprises, while the designer (leader) aims to minimize the consumption of natural resources within the ecopark. Moreover, when participating in the ecopark, enterprises can control all their input fluxes and the designer guarantees a minimal relative improvement in comparison with the stand-alone operation of each enterprise. The SLMF game is transformed into a single mixed-integer optimization problem. The obtained results are compared with the results of the blind-input model (Salas et al., 2020).

Water usage reduction and CSR committees: Taiwan evidence

AbstractAlthough board‐level corporate social responsibility (CSR) committees have been discussed extensively, we know relatively little about how CSR committees affect companies' water conservation and the contingencies that influence this relationship, specifically in emerging markets. In Taiwan, industrial water conservation is an imperative climate change adaptation given the elevating incidence of floods and droughts brought on by climate change. This study extensively hand‐collects data on water usage, the existence of CSR committees from CSR reports, and the annual reports of companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and Taipei Exchange companies during 2017–2020. Our findings support the stakeholder theory that the existence of CSR committees likely set water use reduction targets and facilitated water usage reduction. Moreover, this relationship is stronger in water consumption industries. In summary, the memberships in water consumption industries and CSR committees are complements rather than substitutes.

Comprehensive evaluation and scenario simulation of carrying capacity of water resources in Mu Us Sandy Land, China

Abstract With the rapid improvement in socioeconomic conditions globally, the demand for water resources has dramatically increased. Evaluating water resource carrying capacity (WRCC) is crucial for regional sustainable development. To date, limited attention has been paid to WRCC in areas of predominantly sandy land, with the impact of vegetation restoration in ecologically degraded areas on WRCC remaining unclear. In this study, using a comprehensive evaluation index and a system dynamics model, we evaluated the WRCC of the Mu Us Sandy Land, Inner Mongolia, China, from 2000 to 2019 then projected to 2030. Our results show WRCC has decreased since 2000, reaching a general state by 2019. In a future scenario where historical development remains unabated, WRCC will continue to decline to a poor carrying state by 2030. The comprehensive scheme based on industrial restructuring and water conservation performed the best in terms of WRCC, continuously increasing and returning to a general carrying state by 2030. Our findings highlight the WRCC of the Mu Us Sandy Land is not optimistic and subsequent ecological restoration should proceed with caution. A comprehensive scheme is an optimal development strategy for the future.

Benefit Analysis of Economic and Social Water Supply in Xi’an Based on the Emergy Method

In order to manage regional water resources efficiently and sustainably and promote the rational utilization of water resources, it is necessary to evaluate the water-supply benefit reasonably. On the basis of emergy theory, this paper constructs the water-supply-benefit model of economic (industry, agriculture, and the tertiary industry) and social (domestic, employment security, entertainment, scientific research) systems. Taking Xi’an from 2014 to 2020 as an example, by analyzing the energy flow of each system and the multisource water transformities, the water contribution rate, the water-supply benefit, and the unit-water-resource value in each system are calculated. For the water-supply benefits: Industry > Agriculture > Domestic > Tertiary industry > Employment Security > Entertainment > Scientific research. For the unit-water-resource values: Industry > Tertiary industry > Agriculture > Domestic > Entertainment > Employment security > Scientific research. In the economic system, the water-supply benefit and the unit-water value of industry were always the largest, followed by agriculture and the tertiary industry. However, the Pearson correlation coefficient between the water contribution rate and the output of the industrial system was only 0.52, which was less than that of other production industries, which indicates that there might be a waste of water and that industrial water conservation needs to be further strengthened. In the social system, the domestic-water-supply benefits and the water-resource value were the largest. This is because water resources, as a basic resource, always affect people’s health and quality of life.

Industrial water conservation by water footprint and sustainable development goals: a review

Application of advanced techniques to ensure the environment sustainability and freshwater ecosystem conservation is a paramount importance. Industrial sector is mostly accused for the increased water pressure with high water consumption rates and increased grey water footprints. Industries must take action toward implementing water conservation strategies to enhance natural water cycle, increase water-use efficiency and address future challenges. The significance of water footprint as a driving force to water conservation is spotlighted with severe water scarcity. “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” proposed by the United Nations are focused on creating a sustainable way of life to reduce the impacts on ecology and achieve economic and social benefits. Water is a central part in sustainable development; thus, all SDGs are interlinked with sustainable water use. The paper reviews incorporating the concept of water footprint to achieve SDGs in relation to industrial water conservation and the future pathways that lead to sustainable water resource management.

Water conservation in hotel industry: A case study of Rajasthan

Water is major requirement for any business, be it agricultural, food processing industries, construction, textile, or others. Hotel industry is also one of them that required huge amount of water every day to provide different services to their guests. The industry only provides luxuries and exotic services to their guests it does not produce any product. Thus, the responsibility towards the environment is forefront for the hospitality industry. Water is the most prominent source of nature that is the most burning issue all over the world now days. Hotel industry need to focus on their water uses and must limit it with applying various measures by reusing, recycling and conserving. Water scarcity issues are not hidden to anyone nowadays, from domestic to industrial level many technologies and measures are employed by users, providers and promoted by government to save and conserve water. The present study focuses on the water saving systems of hotels of Rajasthan. Rajasthan is a hot region and it has water shortage since years thus the responsibility of the hoteliers towards to save water by implementation of different useful techniques is expected high for water conservation. The study also provides an overview on water scarcity in the region and significance to preserve water resources. The study result shows that most of the five stars and four-star hotels are implementing water saving measures in their properties while majority of three-star hotels have no such policy.

Integrated graphical approach for selecting industrial water conservation projects

Sustainable water management is key to achieving sustainable development goals. Increasing water consumption prompts industrial plants to implement water conservation projects (WCPs) and improve the utilization efficiency of water resources. In this paper, we develop an integrated graphical method for the implementation of water conservation projects by considering both water-saving targets and investment costs with or without government subsidies. First, cost-benefit analysis for different projects is carried out. The unit water saving cost diagram is employed to rank the priority of implementation of each project. Then, the project combination that meets the expected water-saving goal is determined via water-saving pinch analysis. Finally, the water conservation potential and cost-benefit of the optimal project combination are estimated using the marginal cost curve diagram. Two scenarios are considered for the proposed graphical approach: with and without government subsidies. A chlor-alkali/polyvinyl chloride complex is used as an illustrative case study. The results indicate the proposed method can be used to screen out the feasible projects under the constraints of water-saving target and financial fund.

Evaluation of water resources carrying capacity of major industries in northwest of China: A case study of textile industry in Aksu, Xinjiang Province, China

With the implementation of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, the north-western region of China is welcoming a new development opportunity. Textile industry is a vital industry for people’s livelihood in Xinjiang, which plays an important role in promoting the development of related industries, stimulating the growth of domestic demand, increasing the capacity and level of employment, and promoting social harmony. However, the spatial and temporal distribution of water resources in Xinjiang is extremely uneven, the contradiction between water resources shortage with economic and social development is increasingly prominent. This paper aims to figure out the pressure degree on water resources with the development of textile industry, propose the countermeasures of water saving and pollution reduction in textile industry, by using the osculating value method model to evaluate the water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) of Aksu’s textile industry. Results indicates that the water resources carrying capacity in the study area was overload in 2015, the water consumption of textile industry and the agricultural irrigation were the dominant factors caused a situation of an overloaded water resources carrying capacity. Beside government issues policies to limit water resources consumption and sewage permit system, the optimal measure for reversing this situation is to adopt advanced technologies in water conservation and pollution control in textile industry and new water-saving technology of agriculture irrigation.

Water conservation in mining industry by integrating pressure-oriented membrane processes for nitrogen-contaminated wastewater treatment: Bench and pilot-scale studies

The water footprint of mining sectors can be drastically diminished by practicing water reuse. Membrane processes can be successfully employed to such purpose, while allowing the concentration of solutes for further recovery. Despite its potentialities, the interaction between the effluents and the membrane represent key factors that impact operation and costs, and should be better understood. To this, this study assessed ultrafiltration – reverse osmosis (UF-RO) processes to the treatment of a gold mining effluent from the blasting stage, contaminated with nitrogen compounds. Both laboratory and pilot scale tests were performed. Parameters like transmembrane pressure and water recovery fraction were evaluated in terms of operational performance and economic impact. It was possible to perform a steady-operation at a recovery fraction around 80 % for RO in pilot scale, at 6 bar. Permeate quality met the standards for industrial reuse after pH adjustment, and nitrogen and ammonia were successfully concentrated. Fouling did not affect RO performance even at higher recovery fractions. Costs associated to treatment were estimated in US$ 0.488 / m3, where 55 % of expenditure was related to wastewater disposal. The system has proven to be a feasible alternative from both technical and economic standpoint, offering the potential to save around 367,000 m3/year of fresh-water. Furthermore, RO concentrate might be used for fertigation, which can drastically reduce the volume of wastewater and related costs related to its disposure.

Evaluation and influencing factors of China’s industrial water resource utilization efficiency from the perspective of spatial effect

China is now faced with severe water shortage and water pollution. To solve the problems, it is imperative to improve the industrial water resource utilization efficiency (IWRUE). Firstly, the authors established an evaluation index system of the IWRUE, including an undesirable output. Next, the directional distance function (DDF) model was adopted to measure the IWRUEs of 30 provincial administrative regions (provinces) in China in 2005–2016. After that, the Global Moran’s I was employed to test the presence of spatial effect of regional IWRUEs. Based on provincial panel data, the factors affecting the IWRUE were explored by the spatial econometric model. The results show that: In 2005–2016, only four provinces (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Guangdong) achieved the optimal IWRUE, while the other provinces need to further improve their IWRUEs. Most high-IWRUE provinces belong to the eastern coastal region. By contrast, inland provinces in central and western China did not output desirable IWRUEs, and should vigorously implement industrial water conservation. The IWRUEs of eastern, central, and western China changed differently in 2005–2016. The IWRUE of eastern China was much better than that of central China and western China. Global Moran’s I values indicate a significant spatial correlation between provincial IWRUEs. Adjacent provinces tend to have highly similar IWRUEs. Finally, the IWRUE is greatly promoted by natural resource endowment, economic development level, degree of industrialization, and technical progress, but significantly suppressed by industrial water utilization intensity, and environmental regulation.

Synergetic effects of water and climate policy on energy-water nexus in China: A computable general equilibrium analysis

A unified policy framework for energy and water would be beneficial considering the high interdependence of the two resources in China. In this paper, a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium model is established to examine the existence of synergetic effects within water fee policy and energy related climate policy, i.e. carbon tax, and provide insights for Chinese integrative policy-making. The results show that water fee can contribute to industrial water conservation, whereas its effect is limited under current water fee level. The adoption of a carbon tax in addition to it might further improve its water saving benefits. Furthermore, water fee can also promote the enhancement of China's emission reduction goal, and a higher carbon tax and water fee rate can achieve greater emission reduction effects. At this point, the synergetic spillover effects that water conservation benefits will be achieved simultaneously via the transition of industry into a more low-carbon form is critical for elaborating an effective strategy of environmental policy. Besides, our results suggest that giving priority to renewable power is regarded as the silver bullet to address the water and emission constraints on energy system, as it can optimize the water conservation benefits of emission reduction.

Virtual industrial water usage and wastewater generation in the Middle East and North Africa 2011–2015

This study presents useful methods for quantifying the volumes of water usage, wastewater generation, virtual water export, and wastewater generated by export for six relevant export industries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. These export industries are based in: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). Results show that approximately 4.26 × 109 m3 of water is used per annum and approximately 1.04 × 109 m3 of wastewater is generated during production by the studied industries in 2011. The difference (3.22 × 109 m3) between the used water and generated wastewater volumes is related to water evaporation or injection underground (oil well pressure maintenance). The net virtual water export of the six studied commodities for the year 2015 from MENA to EU28 [i.e., 28 countries in the European Union] is approximately 3.0 × 108 m3, which is equivalent to approximately 7.05% of the water used by those industries. For example, Saudi Arabia represents the largest net virtual water exporter (approximately 1.25 × 108 m3). Crude oil represents approximately 2.59 × 108 m3 of the net virtual water export; fertilizers represent 6.5 × 107 m3, while pig iron and olive oil represent 3.9 × 105, and 1.3 × 105 m3, respectively. The Saudi Arabian hydrological system is under the greatest pressure externally due to these exports to EU28, where the net virtual water export represents approximately 1.6% of the actual renewable water resources and desalination capacity of this country. In general, this study shows that, in terms of the grey water footprint (GWF), the pollution of water bodies caused by production (year 2011) is relevant for the crude oil, refined petroleum, and olive oil industries, whereas pollution caused by exports to EU28 countries (year 2015) is primarily related to the crude oil industry and olive oil mills. The GWFs for all the six industries caused by production and export are 111.8 × 109 (for the year 2011) and 18.7 × 109 m3/year (for the year 2015), respectively. One importance of the current work is that the specific water uses here could be compared to those of the same industries in developed countries. Based on these comparisons, decisions related to the need for water conservation can be made. The implementation of industrial water conservation in the MENA region could alleviate the pressure on water resources and help mitigate the water problems in the MENA. The time in which these results apply for production and export are the years 2011 and 2015, respectively.

Fighting drought with innovation: Melbourne's response to the Millennium Drought in Southeast Australia

The Millennium Drought in Southeast Australia forced greater Melbourne, a city of 4.3 million people, to find innovative ways of increasing water supply and decreasing water demand. This article explores how water managers in Melbourne reacted to the crisis and evaluates the short‐ and long‐term impacts of their decisions. Reduced water demand occurred primarily through residential and industrial water conservation programs, restrictions, together with emergency reductions in the environmental release of water to streams. The city also experimented with using recycled water, in place of surface water, to support agriculture in the Werribee Irrigation District. Water pricing was not strengthened during the drought, and thus not regarded as a drought demand management tool, primarily because Melbourne water companies lacked independent price‐setting powers. Today, five years after the end of the Millennium Drought, gains in water conservation appear to be holding steady, but recycled water for irrigation has declined for various reasons. We contend that the Millennium Drought provided Melbourne with the opportunity to develop and implement a more integrated approach to water management. Many of the innovations it forged (e.g., distributed harvesting and use of stormwater) will continue to enhance the city's resilience to drought and reduce its vulnerability to climate variability for years to come. Nevertheless, a challenge going forward is how to sustain these achievements in light of anticipated population growth and continued climatic change. This challenge—coupled with Melbourne's successes—hold important lessons for water‐stressed cities around the world. WIREs Water 2015, 2:315–328. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1087This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Planning Water Science of Water > Water Extremes

Integrating Groundwater Conservation and Reuse into Remediation Projects

Groundwater remediation projects generally involve extraction and treatment of contaminated groundwater. The current state of the practice does not include an emphasis on conservation and reuse of groundwater. Consequently treated groundwater is typically disposed in sanitary or storm sewers. Longstanding water conservation and reuse practices in the municipal wastewater industry provide a body of experience available to the remediation industry. Case studies of conservation and reuse options for groundwater at remediation sites have been found across a broad range of geographic settings and regulatory jurisdictions. The intent of this article is to stimulate a more holistic view of the groundwater associated with remediation projects and to promote conservation and beneficial reuse of a vital natural resource. © 2014 US Sustainable Remediation Forum