Water and tech might not sound like a match made in heaven, but it can be. | Will Sarni GreenBiz May 1, 2019 Over the past two-plus years, I have had the opportunity to work with several water technology startups and growth-stage companies. I’m continuing to learn the world of technology startups and entrepreneurs, as well as how these stakeholders intersect with corporations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the academic community and the public sector. All of these st

It is always difficult to reflect back on a year and identify the most notable annual events on any given issue. Water is no different and perhaps more challenging. Progress in the water sector, for the most part, seems at times to move at a glacial pace with a few exceptions. As I look back on 2017, these three issues are worth highlighting. 1. The rise of the machines The word of the year in the world of water is digital. Digital technologies are gaining ground in the water

Companies such as Coca-Cola, DIAGEO and BASF are stepping ahead of the crowd when it comes to proving their water stewardship strategy. My last column generated an online discussion about the overall role of "collective" action in water stewardship strategies and the role of the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard and certification. Before we dive into the conversation, an overview of AWS’s mission and standard: "To lead a global network that promotes responsible us

Stockholm World Water Week has come to a close. For me, the essence of the event is the ability to spend time with the diverse global water community: NGOs, multinationals, academics, public sector and civil society. The meeting of these stakeholder groups is the greatest strength of the event: exchanging ideas and brainstorming new initiatives is what propels us forward in the belief that we can deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, in particular, SDG 6, t

The circular economy is disrupting the take-use-dispose treatment of water. Each year Stockholm World Water Week is focused on a specific theme. This year, the topic is Water and Waste: Reduce and Reuse, which addresses the critical need to move from a linear model of water management to a circular one. A circular economy strategy is one in which there is a feedback loop of integrating "waste" back into the system as a "resource." When applying this concept to water, examples

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. (Part 1 is previous article called "Why you need a 'license to grow' strategy") ____________________ Several companies have embraced a "license to grow" strategy. For some, this method of engaging the global community and becoming more active in solving resource, environmental and social problems will be a significant shift in its operational model and business strategy. The following are examples that illustrate elements of activating this

This is part 1 of a 2-part series. ____________________ The rules of business growth have changed. The increased attention to how businesses address environmental and social issues enabled by the digital connectivity and "frictionless" access to information by stakeholders. Anyone with a social media account and access to information is a stakeholder. No longer is business growth solely tied to how businesses relate to their customer base. While these changes are disruptive t

Why do we make a water shortage worse by carving it into separate problems? ____________________ Current events in California are drawing attention to the current and projected gap between water supply and demand projections. Often cited but worth referencing again are the main drivers in the gap between supply and demand (PDF): Increased population and economic development; the rise of the middle class; and increased demand for energy and food. California is facing water sca

The biggest trends in connectivity could have big implications for how we manage water. ____________________ We already know that technology can help catalyze emissions reductions and increase energy efficiency. But how might macro tech trends like increasing connectivity, remote sensing and Big Data analytics manifest when it comes to daunting water quantity and quality issues? For one possible indication, consider the January 2001 launch of the Global e-Sustainability Initi

These four takeaways shows us where to direct our efforts for water infrastructure. ____________________ It is common knowledge that U.S. water infrastructure needs investment to address a wide range of issues from water scarcity to the impacts of droughts and climate change. According to a recent Circle of Blue report, U.S. utilities will need to spend about $633 billion over the next two decades to supply water and to treat sewage. The article also highlighted the release o