Recycled Water — A Responsible Way Forward
When talking about recycling, it is usually garbage that comes to mind. However, it is equally critical to look at our wastewater because 60–65% of it has the potential to be reused. This reduces the overall demand on the water supply and increases available supplies for potable purposes. With growing global populations and demand for freshwater, the world is now at a high risk of a massive water shortage. Recycling water is the best way to reduce overall demand on available supplies and make the most of this precious resource.
In developed economies such as the United States, water recycling or water reclamation is practiced on a massive scale and to stringent standards and regulations to ensure safety. In fact, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, no documented cases of human health problems due to contact with recycled water that has been treated to standards, criteria and regulations have been reported.
How Recycling Water is Beneficial
Recycled water can be used for most applications provided it has been appropriately treated. Where there is a higher chance of human exposure to the water, more rigorous treatment will be required. Recycled water is most commonly used for non-potable (i.e. not for drinking) purposes such as agriculture, landscaping, public parks, cooling and processing water for industrial applications, toilet flushing, dust control and construction work.
Environmental Benefits
Recycled water can provide a dependable, locally controlled water supply and thus help to decrease the diversion of water from sensitive ecosystems. In addition to this, water recycling can also help to decrease wastewater discharges reducing and preventing pollution. Recycled water can also be used to create or enhance wetland areas which can help prevent flooding, provide natural habitats and other environmental benefits.
Using recycled water can also save energy, which has an indirect positive impact on the environment and the economy. As recycled water is a local water source this means that less energy will be required to transport it. Extraction of water, especially ground water, is also an energy intensive process and studies show that it can be cheaper to use recycled water.
How MAS is Driving Change with Recycled Water
We have set a major goal to use less water. By 2025 our water usage intensities will drop by at least 75% through innovation, efficiency and a series of unique projects. We are already making strides in this area, particularly with Linea Aqua where we have obtained Water Neutral Certification for our production facility in Hanwella; making it the first Water Neutral apparel manufacturing facility in the world.
The idea of water neutrality was first coined by the Water Footprint Network of Netherlands, which is a global non-profit organization. The principle behind it is for participating organizations to achieve the maximum, reasonably possible reduction in their freshwater consumption by means of reusing and recycling water. Water Neutral certification also requires members to commit to reasonable, responsible and effective investment into projects aimed towards improving the sustainable and equitable use of water.
Linea Aqua, Hanwella has been systematically monitoring, mitigating and replenishing its overall water consumption over a period of over four years through exhaustive Water Footprint Assessments and Water Audits conducted independently by The Carbon Consulting Company. We treat nearly 200,000 litres of water each day at our water treatment and reclamation facility. About 40,000 litres of reclaimed water is used each day for flushing toilets and gardening; about 40% of the treated water is reused and a significant portion of the remainder is used for irrigation, cultivation and to improve the surrounding environment. The factory grounds are also home to many rare and threatened species of plants, which are watered using reclaimed water.
Water is a precious natural resource that we have been abundantly blessed with in Sri Lanka but that should be no reason to be irresponsible. Growing demands on this natural resource mean that it is now time to take action and minimize our impact on the water table and resources available to us. Linea Aqua and MAS as an organization is proud to have taken the first steps and we hope others will join us on our journey towards a more sustainable future.
