Innovations for Water Sustainability: Agriculture, Textiles, and Data Centers

Within the framework of the dissemination activities of the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, and after the recent celebration of the Future Trends Forum (FTF) under the title The quest for clean waters, this article addresses the challenges and opportunities related to water management in various key sectors. The FTF, a platform that brings together global experts to analyse technological and social trends, has focused its latest forum on the search for innovative solutions to guarantee sustainable access to water resources.

The growing demand for water, driven by population growth, urbanization and industrial development, has put the availability of this vital resource in check in many regions of the world. This article explores the strategies that are being adopted in sectors such as agriculture, the textile industry and data centers, to optimize water use through advanced technologies and sustainable practices. The implementation of these solutions is crucial for the future of humanity and reflects the global commitment to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect aquatic ecosystems.

If you want to see the presentations of these experts, you can do so in these videos:

Santi Singla: “Opportunities for three high water-consumption sectors: Agriculture” #WaterForum

Enrique Silla: “Opportunities for three high water-consumption sectors: Textile industry” #WaterForum

Will Hewes: “Opportunities for three high water-consumption sectors: Data centers” #WaterForum

Agriculture: the largest consumer of water

Agriculture is, without a doubt, the sector that consumes the most water globally. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 70% of the fresh water available on the planet is used for agricultural activities. This makes the sector one of the fundamental pillars for any strategy aimed at improving efficiency in the use of this vital resource. As Santiago Singla, Director of Business Development at Regaber and Hidroglobal, and participant in the Future Trends Forum, points out, “agriculture, often seen as a ‘waster’ of water, plays a key role in the world’s food”. Therefore, water consumption in agriculture must be addressed in a sustainable way, without losing sight of the need to ensure food security.

Challenges and opportunities

The growing challenge of the agricultural sector lies in the need to feed a growing global population, while water resources become scarcer due to factors such as climate change and overexploitation of aquifers. According to Singla, the world’s agricultural area is approximately 1.6 billion hectares, of which only 17% are under irrigated systems, but these lands contribute about 40% of the world’s food production. This shows the importance of irrigation in modern agriculture and the need to make it more efficient.

In many countries with arid or semi-arid climates such as Spain, agriculture consumes more than 80% of the available water, compared to wetter areas, such as the United Kingdom, where only 5% of water is used for agricultural purposes. This disparity highlights that solutions must be adapted to local conditions. In water-stressed regions, it is crucial to improve irrigation techniques and modernize infrastructure to reduce losses and optimize water use.

One of the biggest inefficiencies in the use of water in agriculture is the loss that occurs during its transport and distribution. According to data presented by Singla, up to 50% of water is lost before reaching crops, either through evaporation, leaks or obsolete transport systems. This reality highlights the urgent need to modernise infrastructure and adopt technological solutions that minimise waste.

Technological innovations in irrigation

Santiago Singla emphasizes the adoption of advanced technologies to improve irrigation efficiency. One of the most outstanding techniques is drip irrigation, which allows water to be supplied directly to the roots of the plants, minimizing losses due to evaporation and runoff. Although only 6% of irrigated land worldwide uses this system, its use is growing rapidly in countries such as Spain and Israel, where water efficiency is a priority. Compared to traditional methods such as flood irrigation, drip irrigation can reduce water consumption by up to 50%.

Another technology that is transforming the agricultural sector is the use of soil moisture sensors. These sensors allow real-time monitoring of soil conditions and automatically adjust irrigation based on the specific needs of the plants. This approach, in addition to optimizing water use, improves crop health and growth, resulting in higher yields.

In addition, Singla highlights the potential of sprinkler irrigation which, although not as efficient as drip irrigation, represents a significant improvement over traditional flood irrigation. Sprinkling distributes water more evenly, which reduces losses and ensures better use of water resources.

Harnessing unconventional resources

In areas with limited access to fresh water, the adoption of non-conventional sources of water is another key to ensuring agricultural sustainability. An effective strategy is the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation. This approach reduces the demand for fresh water and contributes to the sustainable management of water waste. In countries such as Israel, this practice has been successfully implemented, allowing farmers to have an additional and reliable source of water, even in times of drought.

Another emerging solution is brackish water desalination , which offers a viable alternative for agricultural areas located near salt or brackish water sources. Although desalination remains expensive for large-scale use, brackish groundwater desalination can be an effective solution for water-stressed regions.

Success stories: Spain and Israel as leaders in efficient irrigation

In recent years, Spain has experienced notable progress in the adoption of efficient irrigation technologies. The use of drip irrigation has grown significantly, from 20% to 50% of irrigated land. This change has allowed Spain to increase its agricultural production by 30% without increasing water consumption.

For its part, Israel has been a pioneer in the development of advanced irrigation technologies. With drip irrigation systems and soil moisture sensors, Israel has managed to transform its agriculture, allowing farmers to efficiently produce food in an arid environment. These innovations have served as a model for other nations facing similar challenges.

Looking to the Future: The Need for Sustainable Agriculture

With climate change and global population growth, rainfed agriculture is becoming less and less sustainable. Precipitation patterns are becoming more erratic, and the frequency of extreme weather events is on the rise. According to Santiago Singla, farmers must adapt to these new conditions by using more efficient irrigation systems, which ensure crop stability and food security.

In this context, Singla underlines the urgency of continuing to invest in technological innovation for agriculture. The integration of smart irrigation systems, which automatically adjust water supply based on soil conditions and crop needs, will be critical to reducing water consumption and improving agricultural yields.

The transformation towards more efficient agriculture is an urgent need to ensure the future of food production and the sustainability of water resources. As Santiago Singla states, “we cannot expect a decrease in the demand for water for agriculture, because we need to meet the growing demand for food.”

The textile industry: a sector in transformation

The textile industry is one of the largest consumers of water, using around 93,000 million cubic meters per year, enough to supply five million people. In addition, it generates 20% of global wastewater, mainly through textile dyeing and finishing processes. Enrique Silla, co-founder and CEO of Jeanologia, highlights that “the textile industry is facing a great environmental challenge, but it also has a unique opportunity to transform itself and be more sustainable.”

Challenges and Water Consumption in the Textile Industry

In addition to its massive water consumption, the fashion industry generates 10% of global carbon emissions and 87% of the fibers used to make clothes end up in landfills or incinerated. These problems, together with the release of synthetic microfibers into the oceans, create enormous environmental pressure that demands innovative solutions.

The dyeing and finishing of textiles, in particular, is one of the most polluting sources in the industry. Silla stresses that “20% of the world’s wastewater comes from these processes.” These practices harm aquatic ecosystems and human health by releasing toxic substances.

Technological solutions for more efficient use of water

Jeanologia has led the way with technological innovations that drastically reduce the consumption of water and chemicals. One of the main innovations is the use of lasers instead of water for garment finishing processes, which has reduced consumption from 150 liters to just 30 liters per garment. Another solution is the use of ozone instead of chemicals, which eliminates the need for toxic substances in the process of wearing jeans.

In addition, nano-bubble technology transports chemicals more efficiently during dyeing, reducing both water and chemicals used. These solutions improve sustainability and make processes faster and more cost-effective.

Water recycling and reuse

Jeanologia has also implemented water treatment plants that allow water to be recycled and reused in the production process, creating a closed loop that minimizes the use of new water and reduces effluents. A successful example is the Levi’s plant in Nevada, which produces 10,000 jeans a day without using water, proving that sustainable textile production is possible.

Challenges to mass adoption

Despite the clear benefits, the adoption of these technologies has been slow. According to Enrique Silla, “the biggest challenge has not been technology, but changing the mentality of the industry”. Many companies are reluctant to implement changes, although Jeanologia’s innovations offer a return on investment in less than two years.

The future of the textile industry

Jeanologia has an ambitious goal: to completely eliminate the use of water in the textile dyeing process, which could reduce water pollution globally by 20%. Silla firmly believes that the age of water in the textile industry has come to an end and that attracting talent and investment in innovation will be key to building a sustainable future for fashion and the planet.

Data Centers: The Growing Demand for Digital Services

Data centers are critical to the digital age, but they are also heavy consumers of water due to the cooling needs of IT equipment. With the increase in demand for digital services and the expansion of technologies such as artificial intelligence, this consumption is on the rise. Will Hewes, Global Head of Water Sustainability at Amazon Web Services (AWS), highlights that “data centers can use more than one million liters of water per day, an amount comparable to the consumption of a thousand homes in the U.S.”

Sustainability challenges

The main challenge for data centers is to cool servers that generate large amounts of heat. Traditional cooling methods, such as cooling towers, require large volumes of water, placing these sites among the largest industrial consumers of water. In addition, 20% of data centers in the United States are located in water-stressed areas, further exacerbating the problem. This raises the need for innovative solutions that balance energy and water use.

Strategies for water efficiency

AWS has implemented several strategies to minimize water use in its data centers. One of them is the use of air cooling systems, which, although they consume more energy, considerably reduce water use. Will Hewes explains that AWS has adopted a direct evaporative cooling design, which only uses water when absolutely necessary. This system allows outside air to cool the equipment and only uses water in harsh weather conditions. In Northern Europe, for example, this system is only activated 5% of the time, which greatly reduces water consumption.

In addition, AWS measures your water efficiency in liters of water per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy consumed. Hewes highlights that the global AWS average is approximately 0.19 liters of water per kWh, well below the industry average of 1.8 liters per kWh.

Strategic Location and Community Collaboration

A crucial part of AWS’s sustainability strategy is the strategic location of its data centers. The company avoids setting up centres in regions with high water scarcity and, when it does, opts for cooling systems that do not use water, even if it involves higher energy costs. For example, in India, AWS has prioritized the use of air cooling to avoid water consumption in water-stressed areas.

Hewes also stresses the importance of community collaboration. In Spain, AWS works with local farmers to reuse cooling water in agriculture, improving efficiency and reducing the demand for fresh water.

Replenishment Projects and Sustainability Goals

AWS is committed to returning more water to communities than it consumes in its operations, through various replenishment projects. In India, for example, AWS is working with organizations like Water.org and WaterAid to improve access to clean water. In Cape Town, it has carried out aquifer recharge projects to increase the amount of water available in the region.

Use of recycled water and rainwater harvesting

Another key strategy is the use of recycled water and rainwater harvesting to minimize the use of potable water in data centers. AWS uses cloud services to monitor water usage in real-time and detect leaks, improving efficiency and reducing waste.

As Will Hewes concludes, “our goal is to have a net positive impact on water resources wherever we operate.”

More articles from the series on The quest for clean waters forum:

• Strategies to solve the global water crisis, by David Sedlak.
• The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges and Solutions for a Sustainable Future, by Yael Glazer
• Sustainable solutions: The role of the oceans according to Carlos Duarte.
• Water governance: key to sustainability.
• Water management and climate change.
• Water Reuse: A Sustainable Water Future.
• Innovation in water desalination: sustainable solutions for the future.