Blue is the new green

Adam Smith, the managing director at Polypipe, talks about the impact of sustainable water management

Sustainable water management is both an art and a science. It is a practice that involves using the Earth’s most precious resource – water – in a way that safely meets current social, economic and environmental needs without compromising the ability to meet those needs in the future. Essentially, it means ensuring that supply of clean water is meeting demand, using a water delivery process that is as efficient as possible.

It allows for a ‘source control’ water strategy – capture, store, treat and re-use – rather than a traditional linear system, in which water is treated as a waste product. This multifunctional approach supports the creation of Green Infrastructure.

The process of sustainable water management can have a deep impact in society on so many levels, helping to address sustainability initiatives on a global scale. For example, the UN has outlined 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, seeks to make cities more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable through measures that include improving water quality and quantity. Sustainable water management systems can play a key role in this transformation.

In fact, given the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of sustainable water management has become more important than ever before. Perspectives on urban life are shifting from a traditional view towards smarter cities that place wellbeing and sustainability at their core. A more circular economy, that prioritises urban resilience, allows for the creation of safe and reliable public health systems. These systems can actually reduce the indoor transmission risk of diseases and eliminate leaks and toxic odours that can be harmful to human health.