Thanks to an ample supply of high-quality water, water consumption has not really been an issue in Sweden. However, recurring dry spells and water shortages in parts of the country are making it high time to reconsider how we use our water.
Most areas of society are dependent on water. In Sweden, industry consumes just over 60 percent of the available fresh water while households account for 23 percent of consumption and agriculture for 3 percent. For a long time, Sweden was generally spared water shortages. However, following several consecutive years of high temperatures, low levels of precipitation and – to put it mildly – a strained water situation, water shortages and droughts have been moved onto the national agenda.
Not just a municipal issue
Droughts and water shortages are not simply a matter for municipal drinking water companies. Everyone who uses water is part of the problem and, as such, should also be part of the solution.
– "It's important to intensify the dialogue between authorities and companies so that together we can prepare for a changing climate, contribute to a better water situation and ensure sustainable resource management across society," says Karin Sjöstrand, a researcher at RISE and one of the authors of the report När vattentillgången brister (When water is in short supply).
In the report, the authors describe how companies can go about analysing and improving their water use.
– "Initially, it's a matter of looking into your own water use. What are the flows? What quality of water is used? Does consumption match needs, or is there potential for improvement? As an example, it may be possible to use water other than drinking water in a process," Sjöstrand explains.
RISE has developed a tool to help swedish companies to take control of their water usage and select the appropriate actions to reduce water costs. Would you like to discuss water usage with our experts? Complete the form below.
Saving water doesn't have to entail large-scale technical solutions as even small changes can make a big difference
First mapping – then proposals for measures
Once the way in which water is used has been looked into, it is time to identify possible measures for improvements.
– "Here, it's important that everyone in the organisation is involved. Saving water doesn't have to entail large-scale technical solutions as even small changes can make a big difference," says Sjöstrand.
– "Our report includes a checklist that you can use. Brainstorming meetings are also useful and usually result in many different ideas. These can then be whittled down to a more manageable number of suggested measures."
These measures can aim to prevent water losses, reduce water use or even completely eliminate the use of water in certain areas of operations. They can also involve reusing or recycling water.
Prioritization necessary
However, perhaps not all of the suggested measures can be implemented. Instead, it will be necessary to prioritise investments. In this case, there are several different decision support methods that can be used to evaluate and compare the various measures. The aim is to ensure that the prioritised measures maximise the benefits to both the company and society while also being good alternatives in terms of sustainability.
– "Not all companies conduct all these steps. A restaurant, for example, can make a quick investment in more water-efficient dishwashers without the decision needing to be preceded by a more comprehensive analysis. And, naturally, it's a good thing that we can approach the issue in this way too," comments Sjöstrand.
So, how can municipal and regional authorities help companies in their efforts to achieve more efficient and sustainable water consumption?
– "One obvious answer is to provide information and to strike up dialogues on the available options as well as the costs and benefits of different measures to both companies and society. Authorities also have the option of using various instruments to increase the incentives for companies to work with these matters and to overcome any obstacles to implementation," Sjöstrand ends.
Download the report
You can download the original Swedish report När vattentillgången brister here.