Industrial Impact:
The industries that produce metals, wood and paper products, chemicals, gasoline and oils, and those invaluable grabber utensils your dad uses to pull out the car keys you dropped into the garbage disposal are major users of water. Probably every manufactured product uses water during some part of the production process. Industrial water use includes water used for such purposes as fabricating, processing, washing, diluting, cooling, or transporting a product; incorporating water into a product; or for sanitation needs within the manufacturing facility. (Source: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuin.html)
In India industry accounts for 23% of global water abstraction. It is the fastest growing user of freshwater worldwide and demand is expected to more than double over the next two decades. The most water-intensive industries include pulp and paper, chemicals, and food and beverages.
A major outcome of increasing industrial water use has been the increase in conflict between local communities and the industry on issues ranging from water pollution to water scarcity. In areas where there is water scarcity, industries are under tremendous pressure from community and government alike to reduce water use.
Depletion of groundwater by industries, supply of water meant for irrigation to industries, preferential treatment given to industries by the government are some of the major reasons for the conflict between industry and community over water use.
Another major reason for this ongoing conflict is water pollution. Protest and public interest litigations have become quite common on this issue. (Source: www.cseindia.org)
With water critical to many industrial operations, the use, reuse and treatment of the water and
wastewater streams throughout a plant can be a large piece of the ongoing operations and
maintenance budget. Water uses within industrial facilities vary by industry, and can include
cooling water, process water, quench water, cleaning water, boiler water, potable water, and
others.
Alternative Energy Specialist
Promoting Renewable Energy Resources
