Inefficient water management is one of the factors that contributes to today's global water crisis.

Whether a trigger, weapon, or a casualty, water has played a major role in conflicts around the world. With climate change altering rainfall patterns and causing extended droughts all over the globe, disputes over water appear to remain a challenge for some regions. On the other hand, history has also witnessed water being the source of cooperation between nations.

Today’s society is characterized by being dynamic and fast-paced and the more we move towards the future, the more goods and resources we consume. Since water is present in the lifecycle of any products we consume, our footprint is growing bigger every year.

As we move away from fossil fuels to renewables, new technologies point to a cleaner energy scheme by decreasing the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. In a planet with only 1% of fresh water, it is imperative that the new energy system pursues to decrease the water footprint (WF). Because a low-carbon footprint doesn’t necessarily mean a low water use. The water footprint (WF) is defined as the total annual volume of freshwater used to produce goods and services related to consumption.

Economic growth has been identified as one of the key factors contributing towards accelerating global water scarcity, as population expansion and growing urbanisation add to the pressures on finite freshwater resources. The UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) published a report in 2016 looking into the potential for decoupling water consumption from economic growth – essentially, moving to more sustainable forms of water use without reducing growth – stating that half the world could face severe water stress by 2030 unless this is achieved. But how can this be done in practice and how likely will this be?

With the weather warming up as we hit the spring season, it's a good time to think about effective seasonal preparations to cope with the hotter seasons. Droughts are becoming more of an issue and not just in the hottest countries that traditionally experience them.

Businesses are responsible for 88% of worldwide water use (69% agriculture and 19% other industries) so it’s vital that they are at the forefront of meeting the water management challenges of tomorrow.

The EU has a green building policy that requires new buildings to be energy-neutral by 2020. In practice, this means a commitment to ensure that buildings are water-efficient to reduce water consumption

To build a water-efficient society, we need to change the way we use and manage water. This is especially the case for businesses, as around 88% of the global water supply is used for commercial purposes. Companies looking to implement a sustainable water strategy should not underestimate the strength of getting their communications right, to ensure that their message reaches the necessary people in the right way. Engaging and informing stakeholders about the strategy and efforts on water management can strengthen the measures and enforce the saving potential.