Change Begins with a Drop. Since 1993, International World Water Day has been held annually on March 22nd by the United Nations as a means of focusing attention on the importance of fresh water and advocating for the sustainable management of fresh water resources. Of course, personally, we can all adopt small changes in behavior, to help make a big difference this World Water Day (and everyday). Siemens is also committed to creating the technologies to help communities and industries make big changes in how they consume, manage and recycle fresh water, to make a real and lasting impact on water conservation and accessibility across the globe. Water Facts Things you should know about the world’s fresh water supply – our most precious natural resource: n Up
to three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered with water but less than 0.03% is drinkable.
n Producing
35 cubic feet (1 cubic meter) of drinkable water through desalination reverse osmosis (the process of forcing salty water through a membrane to remove the salt) requires about 2 kWh of electricity. Although that’s down from 5 to 10 kWh 20 years ago, it is still energy intensive.
n Urbanization
and demographic changes pose serious challenges to secure water supplies for future generations, as humans use more and more water each year.
n As
population grows, the demand on our water resources is challenged to keep up.
n More
than a billion people in water poor regions around the globe survive on the same amount used to flush a toilet or take a 5-minute shower, just over 1 gallon (5 liters) of water each day.
n Each
day almost 10,000 children under the age of 5 in Third World countries die as a result of illnesses contracted by use of impure water.
n Even
though each person only requires about 13 gallons (48 liters) of water on a daily basis, individuals in the United States use an average of 132 gallons (500 liters), those in Canada an average of 79 gallons (300 liters) and those in England an average of 52 gallons (200 liters).
n To
manufacture new cars 39,000 gallons (148,000 liters) of water are used per car.
n Today,
n A
n The
n Water
1.2 billion people are without clean drinking water and 2.4 billion people are not connected to wastewater systems. United Nations estimates more than 3 billion people may suffer from water shortages by the year 2025.
Water Technologies
60-Watt incandescent bulb can consume up to 6,000 gallons (22,710 liters) of water a year. and energy are critical, mutually dependent resources – the production of energy requires large volumes of water and water treatment requires large amounts of energy.
Siemens is committed to helping communities and industries better manage and protect their water supply. Communities and industries can help conserve water through waste reduction, resource recovery, energy and process efficiency and water reuse. Siemens Water Technologies is helping its customers meet water and wastewater treatment challenges through reduction, reclamation and reuse. For Industry: reclaim/reuse systems may enable a facility to expand without increasing the amount of fresh water it consumes.
For Municipalities: world population is three times larger than it was in 1950, and is rapidly growing, making natural water sources increasingly scarce. Municipalities are turning to wastewater reuse to cost effectively manage its water supply.
n The
n Water
shortages, deteriorating water quality and greater demands due to population growth, drought and industrial expansion threaten water resources for industries and communities alike. Water reuse is an optimal solution for these challenges.
n Siemens
helped an automotive manufacturer recover and reclaim more than 200,000 gallons (557,000 liters) per day from its manufacturing process. Decreasing pollution. Conserving the area’s resources. Minimizing impact on the environment.
n Wastewater
reuse is most effective when using the most advanced systems that technology has to offer. Siemens is a leader in providing physical, chemical and biological water reuse systems, from membrane filtration to deionization systems.
n Siemens
biopharmaceutical manufacturer used Siemens technologies to recover its waste stream and reuse its feedwater – allowing the company to recover more than 52 million gallons (145 million liters) per year.
n The
Orange County Water District (OCWD) of Fountain Valley, California chose the MEMCOR® membrane system for its groundwater replenishment system in order to increase its potable water supplies to meet the future water demands of this fast-growing area. The system has helped produce more than 34 billion gallons (129 billion liters) of water (As of January 10, 2008).
n A
installing Siemens technologies, a U.S. Bottler increased water recovery from 75 to over 90 percent, and reduced the plant‘s water consumption by approximately 16 million gallons (45 million liters) per year.
n Singapore‘s
Changi water reclamation plant treats more than half of the country’s used water utilizing primary and secondary wastewater treatment equipment by Siemens, as well as a full-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) system. This has enabled reclaimed water to now meet 30% of the island’s water needs and helped reduce imported water needs to 40% of total consumption.
n After
n Perth’s
Access more information or share what you’re doing at www.siemens.com/wwd
Siemens Water Technologies 181 Thornhill Rd Warrendale, PA 15086 +1 724.772.0044
second largest seawater desalination plant, the 50 Gl/ year (36 mgd) Southern seawater desalination project (SSDP) is being built in Binningup,150 km south of Perth (Australia). The plant is configured with filtration and reverse osmosis technology by Siemens to provide a drinking water production capacity of 80 mld. Testing over a six-month period has demonstrated stable performance at 99% feed water recovery. Potable water from the plant will be pumped into Perth Integrated Water Supply Scheme (IWSS).
© 2011 Siemens Water Technologies Corp
MEMCOR is a trademark of Siemens, its subsidiaries or affiliates
CO-WWD-FCTSHT-0111
in some countries.
Subject to change without prior notice. The information provided in this literature contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of performance which in actual case of use do not always apply as described or which may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the respective characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of the contract.
www.siemens.com/wwd