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Public-Private Collaboration Essential for Water Security: Lessons from AWS
Context:
- As climate change increasingly threatens water resources, enhanced collaboration and investment from both public and private sectors are essential.
- This will help develop and implement water solutions that build resilience to climate-related disasters and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water access and sanitation.
Key Highlights:
- Access to water is a fundamental human right crucial for health and survival. Despite water supporting nearly 60% of economic activity, over 2 billion people still lack safe drinking water.
- The 10th World Water Forum, held in Bali, Indonesia, under the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity,” highlighted the collective responsibility to tackle the water crisis by scaling technologies and blended financing.
- AWS has pledged to be water-positive by 2030, meaning it will return more water to the communities it serves than it uses in its operations.
- Private sector leadership is crucial but not sufficient on its own. It also requires collaboration among governments, nonprofits, community leaders, and public-private partnerships.
The Need for Enhanced Water Efficiency and Recycling
- Advanced technologies, such as cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT), play a significant role in improving operational efficiencies and enabling quicker responses to water challenges.
- For instance, AWS reduced its data centre water footprint to 0.19 litres per kilowatt hour (kWh) of IT load, a 24% improvement from the previous year.
- AWS’s partnership with EcolabNalco and Hydroleap in Singapore focuses on cooling tower efficiency and water reuse.
- In water-stressed India, Amazon reduces water use in its fulfilment centres by incorporating rainwater-harvesting systems and sewage treatment plants.
- Recycle greywater from sinks, cafeterias, and washrooms for irrigation and toilet flushing.
- Additionally, optimised fixtures like waterless urinals and water restrainers for high-flow fixtures help further reduce water consumption.
The Importance of Reuse and Recycling:
- Recycled water is vital for water security, especially during droughts. AWS uses recycled water to cool 20 data centres globally.
- AQUAKIT provides onsite greywater treatment systems that reclaim up to 300,000 litres of water monthly.
- Membrion uses ceramic desalination technologies for industrial wastewater treatment and reuse.
- Example: In Singapore, the government’s NEWater initiative has been in place since 2002, used for industrial and air-conditioning cooling, and during dry periods, it is blended with raw water, treated again, and supplied as tap water.
Replenishment and Corporate Collaboration:
- Corporations can enhance water system resilience by aligning their sustainability goals with government priorities and community needs.
- Amazon’s efforts include working with Water.org and WaterAid to provide clean water and sanitation to nearly 700,000 people in India and Indonesia.
- In Australia, Amazon is restoring water and biodiversity in bushfire-affected areas with Great Eastern Ranges.
- AWS is also assisting in reducing water leakage in Indonesia’s water networks from 50% to 15%, with an expected global water replenishment of 3.9 billion litres yearly.
Way Forward:
- Standardised PPP frameworks: Clear guidelines and regulations can streamline project development and attract private sector investment.
- Risk-sharing models: Sharing risks and rewards fairly encourages private sector participation and ensures project success.
- Focus on long-term sustainability: PPPs should prioritise solutions that are not just efficient but environmentally and socially sustainable.