The need for digitalisation of water management is urgent in order to support a more sustainable approach.
According to an EPA funded pan-European research project by Irish company 20FIFTY Partners, organisations are exposed to significant production risks due to an unsustainable demand for industrial water which is being compounded by pollution, ageing water infrastructure and water shortages due to climate change.
Key findings
- Although water risk is increasingly viewed as a business risk, organisations are still slow to recognise the true value of water to both their continued business operations and supply chains;
- Digitalisation of the water management is acknowledged as an important enabler of more sustainable operations for organisations, but large gaps exist between awareness and action as organisations grapple with both data and digitalisation challenges;
- The role of water in supporting climate action is not addressed in government climate policy in Ireland. Although recent evidence of a shift to more systematically coherent policymaking at EU level in the water domain, this is yet to translate nationally;
- Circularity as it applies to water, does not feature in circularity policy in Ireland and therefore is potentially misunderstood and not prioritised by organisations as a result;
- Organisations are unable to accurately determine the carbon footprint associated with their water lifecycle due to significant data gaps relating to GHG emissions for the industrial water lifecycle in Ireland;
- Gaps exist in supporting organisations to adopt Industry 4.0 principles, methodologies, and tools in industrial water management.
The research report presents a framework for industrial water users to adopt Industrial Water 4.0. It was developed in collaboration with industrial sites from across Europe to accelerate industries transition towards digitally enabled industrial water stewardship.
Consisting of a collection of integrated tools, the framework provides guidance to ensure water supply resilience, water resource efficiency and cost savings, as well as advice on water process integration with production through enabling digitalisation technologies and solutions.
Ken Stockil, CEO of 20FIFTY Partners, said: “A national roadmap for the decarbonisation of the industrial water lifecycle is required and Industry must adapt its current water management practices to reflect changing conditions and secure the future of their organisations.
Increasing ESG obligations
"The true cost of water becomes more apparent when you consider the cost of heating, treating and cooling water in a production process. Analysis shows that the cost of mitigating water risks for companies is usually much lower than their potential financial impact. When considered in light of increasing ESG obligations, the business case for action is clearer than ever.”
Darragh O’ Neill, senior manager research strategy with the EPA, said: “Proactive water resource management can play an important role in supporting national climate action and broader sustainability goals.
"This EPA-funded research shines a light on pioneering work ongoing by some Irish companies to integrate water stewardship into their business strategy and provides a framework for other industrial water users to follow suit.”
The report includes recommendations relating to improved industrial water catchment data collection and a roadmap for decarbonisation of the industrial water sector.
It also recommends the establishment of a national talent development programme for application of Industry 4.0 to water stewardship and broader enterprise sustainability practices as well as the need for greater emphasis on water in national climate action and sustainability policies.