Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Africa water, Sanitation Mar- Apr 2015 Vol.10 No.2 | Page 18

Water is industry

More water is used to
manufacture a car than to fill a
swimming pool.

Every manufactured product requires water. Some industries are
more water-intense than others. 10 litres of water are used to
make one sheet of paper. 91 litres are used to make 500 grams
of plastic.
Industrialization can drive development by increasing
productivity, jobs and income. It can provide opportunities for
gender equality and youth employment. However, industry’s
priority is to maximize production rather than water efficiency
and conservation.
Global water demand for manufacturing is expected to increase
by 400% from 2000 to 2050, which is much larger than other
sectors. The main increases will be in emerging economies
and developing countries. Many large corporations have made
considerable progress in evaluating and reducing their water
use and that of their supply chains. Small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) are faced with si