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Key Takeaways Water is no longer a utility cost; it is mission-critical industrial infrastructure.
Circular water systems are becoming survival requirements, not sustainability differentiators.
Water is the foundation of every industrial process on Earth, yet it remains overlooked, undervalued and dangerously vulnerable. Most executives still view water as a line item on a utility bill. In reality, it is mission-critical infrastructure.
That blind spot is costing industries billions. Nearly 40% of global semiconductor production is located in regions projected to face severe water stress by 2040. CDP reports that $77 billion in immediate corporate value is at risk from water disruption. More than half of major buyers now assess suppliers based on their water security.
This is not about sustainability points. It is about survival.
Related: Sustainability in Business: Lessons from the Food and Beverage Sector
Water has always been sacred
Long before scientific models and satellite data warned us about climate change, ancient civilizations understood water’s sacred role in sustaining life and harmony. For the Native Americans, water was revered as a living spirit — integral to ceremonies and viewed as a living relative rather than a resource.
In Indian philosophy, water is one of the five fundamental elements and features prominently in rituals and temple architecture; rivers are worshipped as Goddesses. In Chinese civilization, the Taoist principle of water’s adaptability and quiet strength was seen as the highest form of virtue.
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