Our Unseen Water Footprint

In a revealing episode of the Scaling Up H2O podcast, Dr. Kelle Zeiher shed light on the less visible aspects of water consumption in our daily lives. Her insights offer a sobering look at the challenges in managing this critical resource amidst growing industrial and technological demands.

Scaling Up H20 Podcast

In this podcast, Dr. Kelle Zeiher discusses the critical issue of water usage and sustainability. She begins by highlighting the irony of Earth’s abundant water supply, with three-quarters of the planet covered by water, yet only a fraction usable due to its saline nature. This discrepancy is exacerbated by increasing demand from a growing population and the effects of global climate change. Dr. Zeiher explains how the hydrologic cycle works, emphasizing the inefficiency in how precipitation is absorbed and utilized. She illustrates this point with examples of industrial water usage: it takes about 75,000 gallons to produce a ton of steel and around 80,000 gallons for an average-sized car, including 2,000 gallons for the tires alone. Furthermore, consumer products like cell phones require 3,200 gallons of water each, and even data storage, often perceived as intangible, consumes substantial water for cooling.

Dr. Zeiher also addresses the agricultural impact on water usage, citing the example of water-intensive crops like almonds and rice, often grown in water-stressed areas like California. She suggests cultivating such crops in regions with more water availability and stresses the importance of selecting crops appropriate for local climates. She points out that domestic water use, often targeted for conservation, represents a small portion of overall consumption. Instead, she emphasizes the need to focus on industrial and agricultural sectors for significant water conservation. Dr. Zeiher also talks about her work in optimizing industrial processes, such as increasing the cycles of concentration in cooling systems to save millions of gallons of water annually. She underscores the critical role of water treaters in sustainable water management and encourages them to optimize their processes for better efficiency.

Podcast Transcript

Q: Can you elaborate on Earth’s water distribution and its challenges?

A: “Three-quarters of the earth is covered with water, but 98% is saline and not useful for drinking. The real issue is the increasing demand for and inefficient use of the freshwater we have.”

Q: What are some examples of industrial and consumer product water usage?

A: “To produce a ton of steel takes about seventy-five thousand gallons of water. For an average-sized vehicle, it’s around eighty thousand gallons. And a single cellphone requires about thirty-two hundred gallons of water.”

Q: How does data storage and online services impact water usage?

A: “For a gigabyte of data, it takes fifty-three gallons of water. Data centers use significant amounts of water for cooling, which adds to the overall water footprint of digital services.”

Q: What are your thoughts on agricultural water consumption?

A: “Inefficient practices, like growing water-intensive crops in water-stressed areas, exacerbate the problem. Adapting crop choices to regional climates is essential for better water use.”

Q: Could you comment on domestic water use in the context of overall consumption?

A: “Only 12% of water is used domestically. While conservation at home is important, the larger impact lies in addressing industrial and agricultural water use.”

Q: Tell us about your work with Garratt Callahan and water use optimization.

A: “I’m working on projects with Garratt Callahan, focusing on cooling water systems. We’re enhancing cycles of concentration to reuse water efficiently. In one case, we helped a client save about one and a half million gallons of water per year by doubling their cycles of concentration.”

Q: What key message do you want to convey about water sustainability?

A: “The critical areas for improving water sustainability are in industrial processes and agriculture. By focusing on these sectors, we can make significant strides in conserving water resources.”

To listen to the original podcast and other water industry-related topics, visit Scaling Up H20.