In this module, we’re going to explore water reuse—why it’s important, the rules and regulations surrounding it, and some of the challenges industries face when trying to conserve and reuse water.

Water reuse is a growing global priority. One of the main drivers is increasing water scarcity, alongside the introduction of new regulations around the world. More and more industries are also committing to sustainability goals that include ambitious targets for water reuse.

There are also economic and operational benefits for industries that reuse water, such as energy savings and reduced costs. And thanks to advances in technology, it’s now possible to reuse water more efficiently than ever before. Let’s take a closer look.

The volume of available freshwater is declining around the world. Currently, about 30% of the population in Europe is affected by water scarcity, with this challenge being particularly prominent in southern Europe. What’s important to understand about water scarcity is that it’s not evenly distributed—it depends heavily on the location.

There’s also the growing influence of new laws and regulations demanding more efficient water use across many parts of the world. For example, in some countries, zero liquid discharge laws require factories to treat wastewater to the point where only solid waste remains, allowing the cleaned water to be reused in the industrial process.

These regulations are becoming more common and are changing how we approach water treatment with environmental impact in mind. So, what does water reuse look like from a business perspective?

Well, water prices are rising globally. Intake water is expensive, and transporting and treating it adds even more to the cost due to the energy required. By treating wastewater on-site and reusing it, companies can significantly reduce energy use and operating costs. This is especially relevant considering that treating wastewater is three to four times cheaper than desalinating seawater. So, from a financial perspective, water reuse makes sense.

Given the environmental, regulatory, and financial advantages, water reuse appears to be the obvious choice. So why isn’t it applied everywhere?

One major barrier is regulation. In some countries, reused water isn’t allowed to be used as drinking water, it can only be used for non-potable applications such as irrigation or vehicle washing.

Another challenge is the complexity of industrial wastewater. It often requires advanced, specialised technologies to treat it effectively. These technologies can take time to develop and prove, meaning it can take even longer for them to enter the market and be widely adopted.

We’re constantly developing new technologies to help deliver safe, clean water because, at Grundfos, we’re committed to UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”

In the next module, we’ll look at how focusing on entire systems rather than single components can help tackle water treatment and reuse challenges.