I learned a lot at today's Techonomy conference session titled The Thirst for Water: Is it increasing beyond our control?. Did you know these things?
- 70% of the world's water usage is going to agriculture, according to GE's Jeffrey Fulgham. Fulgham says that with more up-to-date low-flow irrigation technology, that consumption could be cut down by 70%. Israel is innovating rapidly in this direction, he said.
- In the United States, however, 40% of water use occurs in the production of power. Fulgham said some forms of natural gas extraction even render water unusable for a very long time, so the companies inject it deep into the earth and remove it from the aqua-ecosystem. GE is working to change that process for power companies.
- Water leakage is a big deal all around the world but in urban distribution systems in particular. According to Fred Pearce, of New Scientist, in London at least 25% of the water sent to homes and businesses leaks out of the transport systems before it arrives. In many places around the US and world there is 40% or 50% leakage, he said, and some places experience a "nightmarish" 70% leakage from source to consumer. Singapore, on the other hand, has a leakage rate below 5%. Water is delivered there through a closely monitored system that uses algorithms to forecast where leaks are likely to occur.
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