Three exciting trends making water issues more visible

Three exciting trends making water issues more visible

Making Waves marks World Water Day and a global movement to make water more visible

World Water Day 2022 centers on the theme of groundwater and making the invisible visible. To celebrate the occasion, Making Waves is spotlighting the water sector’s work to increase the visibility of this most precious resource across the water cycle. Xylem President and CEO Patrick Decker says,

PD Speech at SJWP 2019 (002).jpg“Xylem honors all those working to make water more visible. Your efforts to advance innovation and increase awareness are changing the way water is managed, and changing public attitudes and behaviors. You are making communities more water-secure and sustainable – and making a profound difference that will last for generations to come.”

      Photo credit: Stockholm International Water Institute

 

Here are three exciting trends underway across our sector to make the invisible visible:

  1. The water sector is making water more visible through innovative digital technologies and modern infrastructure.

    Digital transformation is key to addressing the three major water challenges of our time: water scarcity, water affordability, and resilience to climate change. Bold innovation and deep collaboration across the water sector is helping to advance breakthrough digital technologies to solve these challenges and drive better outcomes for communities.

    At Xylem, we make water more visible through our comprehensive platform of digital tools and solutions. These data-driven offerings provide our customers with unprecedented visibility into their water systems, producing deep insights that enable utilities, industrials and other commercial users of water to generate powerful water, energy and cost efficiencies.
  2. The water sector is making water more visible by driving public awareness and engagement, and helping build a movement to address urgent water challenges.

    This is water’s moment, as governments look to invest in solutions to address escalating water challenges and long-standing infrastructure issues, while building back after the pandemic. This is a moment when leaders can leave a legacy, and the water sector can come together, to engage the public on the importance of this historic investment in our future.

    Xylem is helping lead industry efforts to advocate for the water sector in the public policy arena, make visible the opportunity to modernize water, and demonstrate the many economic and social benefits that this will have. We’re also helping raise public awareness of water challenges among millions of people through our innovative partnership with City Football Group and our corporate social responsibility program Xylem Watermark, powered by Xylem colleagues who clocked 113,000 volunteer hours in 2021 alone.
  3. The water sector is making water more visible by being a pacesetter for sustainability, including spotlighting the value of investing in water for ESG investors.

    Water operators have long been stewards of an essential resource and the environment. Now, the sector is stepping up once again to advance sustainability around the globe, through advanced technologies that deliver major water and energy efficiency gains, and by committing to net-zero emissions targets in support of the decarbonization of water systems. 

    Xylem is committed to championing sustainability across all fronts, including the technologies and solutions we provide to our customers, which make water more accessible and affordable and water systems more resilient. This is also demonstrated through our own company’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions across our value chain before 2050* and our humanitarian work to assist communities facing the toughest water and economic challenges.

On World Water Day, Xylem and Making Waves celebrate the critical role that water plays in our lives, and everyone in our sector who makes water possible. – Anna Hildell, Managing Editor of Making Waves

*In 2021, Xylem announced commitments to Science-Based Target aligned to a 1.5oC reduction by 2030 (Scope 1, 2 and 3) and Net Zero emissions (Scope 1, 2 and 3) before 2050.