Making a statement to draw attention to the global water crisis and raise awareness on March 22 World Water Day, SmartS Engineering Founder and General Manager Altuğ Bilgiç emphasizes that water resources can be protected with modern engineering solutions. The company, which continues its re-engineering studies, offers a sustainable approach by increasing the efficiency of pumps used in the water cycle by 10%-50%.
Water, despite being the basic source of life, has become a diminishing resource due to factors such as climate change, population growth and misuse. Only 2,5 percent of the world’s water consists of fresh water, which is necessary for drinking, agriculture and sustaining ecosystems. However, most of this fresh water – approximately 68,7 percent – is trapped in glaciers and ice sheets. Approximately 30 percent is groundwater, while the remaining less than 1 percent is found in rivers, lakes and the atmosphere. This is a very small amount compared to the world’s total water resource, and it reminds us once again of the importance of protecting the ecosystem’s most valuable resource.
Today, millions of people around the world have difficulty accessing clean water, while industry, agriculture and ecosystems are also negatively affected by water scarcity. For this reason, World Water Day on March 22 is of great importance in terms of raising awareness about the protection and efficient use of water resources. Sustainable management of freshwater resources stands out as one of the biggest agenda items not only today but also in the future.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) report for 2024, the risk of water scarcity affects 20 percent of the European continent's land area and 30 percent of its population. Increasing water demand and depletion of water resources pose serious economic and social risks. The depletion of water resources negatively affects agricultural production and causes disruptions in industrial and energy production. This situation also necessitates efficient and sustainable management of water.
SmartS Engineering Founder and General Manager Altuğ Bilgiç noted that everyone, especially large industries, should do their part to ensure the true sustainability of water, which will determine the fate of the next 100 years. highlighting the critical role of water treatment, he says:
- Freshwater depletion is becoming an increasingly serious threat due to a combination of unsustainable practices and environmental changes. Over-pumping of groundwater is depleting water needed for agriculture, industry and urban development faster than it can be naturally replenished. In addition, pollutants such as industrial waste, agricultural chemicals and untreated sewage are polluting rivers, lakes and groundwater, making freshwater resources unusable.
- While deforestation and habitat destruction disrupt water cycles and reduce the soil’s capacity to hold and purify water, climate change also stands out as a major factor threatening freshwater resources. Rising temperatures lead to droughts, while changes in precipitation patterns cause water scarcity in some regions. In addition, the melting of glaciers that serve as freshwater reserves is also triggering the decline of water resources. Urbanization and population growth also put great pressure on water resources. While growing cities increase water demand, the covering of natural areas with concrete and asphalt prevents the renewal of groundwater. The agricultural sector is the largest user of freshwater on a global scale, causing significant water waste due to inefficient irrigation methods and water-intensive crops.
- In addition, large dam projects change the natural flow of rivers, making it difficult for water to reach lower basins and disrupting ecosystem balance. Invasive plants and animals are another threat to freshwater ecosystems; these species can destroy local ecosystems by over-consuming water resources or negatively affecting water quality.
- All these factors combined are causing the rapid depletion of freshwater resources and increasing the risk of a global water crisis.
Water purification plays a critical role in protecting and expanding freshwater resources
- Treatment plants make contaminated water safe by removing harmful bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants. This allows sources such as rivers, lakes and groundwater to continue to contribute to the supply of clean water. In addition, recycling and reuse of treated wastewater reduces water consumption, especially in irrigation and industry, and relieves pressure on natural freshwater resources. This process helps prevent water scarcity and protects ecosystems. Releasing treated water back into natural systems supports the health of aquatic habitats and strengthens environmental sustainability. Water treatment systems are vital, especially in water-scarce regions and urban areas.
The most important development areas in the fight against water scarcity are considered to be making water consumption more efficient and economical and purifying the used water and recycling it.
Pumps, which play a critical role in water management, account for approximately 10 percent of global energy consumption and have a significant impact on sustainability. Increasing the efficiency of pumps, which are one of the largest energy consumers in clean water and wastewater treatment plants that play a critical role in combating water scarcity, also significantly reduces energy costs.
Unfortunately, many of the pumps operating in the water cycle operate at suboptimal efficiency levels and consume more power than necessary. With re-engineering, the efficiency of pumps can be increased by 10% to 50%. Instead of replacing inefficient pumps with new ones, which consumes both unnecessary production energy and natural resources, it is possible to increase the efficiency of existing pumps with small changes through re-engineering. This means consuming less energy, obtaining more clean water resources and ensuring a sustainable water cycle.
