Practical Solutions to Address the Water Crisis

As the demand for food grows and our world continues to change, the food and beverage sector is looking for ways to be more efficient and more resilient.

Australia is the driest continent on earth. The changing climate is leading to further drying, less reliable rainfall, more frequent drought as well as more intense and damaging rainfall events. In a time of water crisis what are the practical solutions?

Food and beverage production is reliant on the availability of large volumes of high-quality water and appropriate treatment and disposal systems, all of which can be location specific and impacted by climate change.

Undertaking a sustainable water risk analysis will help identify solutions. It will give a good indication of how sustainable an operation currently is and what actions could be taken to improve water security, reduce costs and increase efficiency. Measures could include water reduction or efficiency programs, water treatment improvements and water reuse technologies.

Efficiency measures only go so far and because water quality is so important to food and beverage businesses advanced reuse technologies such as Advanced Water Treatment could be explored.

With the application of advanced water treatment plants (AWTP), Australian food businesses have the potential to:

• Reuse up to 90% of water, significantly reducing water use
• Produce high quality potable water for use in food processing
• Demonstrate responsible use and management of water
• Continue to operate ‘as normal’ during periods of water restrictions
• Decouple growth from water availability thereby increasing resilience

Cress understands how water risk can impact business operations, supply chains and social licence to operate. We can help you undertake a sustainable water risk analysis and identify practical solutions to improve the resilience of your operation or business.

Cress Consulting are sustainability, risk and water specialists, committed to finding the right solutions to help you secure a more sustainable, secure future. If you would like help to find the right solutions to a more sustainable, secure future, please contact us here.