Environmental Professionals Network Breakfast Event: Water Re-use for Ohio’s Future: Implications for advanced industry, land conservation, and resource efficiency
Water reuse – the process of capturing, treating, and recycling water for various uses – is no new concept in the realm of water management. Water reuse has been in action in rivers replenished with treated water, agricultural irrigation systems, and in power plants1 for decades. Recently, however, discussions surrounding water reuse have been brought to the forefront in Ohio as large industrial operations such as microchip manufacturing plants and data centers have been developed across the state, often requiring high volumes of water to facilitate their cooling systems2. Resultingly, municipalities and businesses involved in the development of these operations have looked to water reuse as a solution to balance economic development with environmental sustainability.
This EPN event, presented in coordination with the Water Management Association of Ohio (WMAO), the Ohio Water Resources Center, and TerrAqua (a student organization at Ohio State and WMAO affiliate), will bring together a cross-disciplinary panel of leaders involved in water management, conservation, and reuse in a discussion on Ohio’s current water reuse projects and the implications for regional natural resource and economic sustainability. Following the breakfast panel, an extended two-hour (in person) session focused on overcoming challenges for implementing water reuse projects across the state offered for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). As industrial-scale water reuse is still in its infancy in Ohio, this program will be an opportunity for sustainability-focused professionals to share lessons learned and discuss future applications for Ohio’s water stewardship as the state continues to grow.
References
1United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Basic Information about Water Reuse” link here.
2World Economic Forum, “Why circular water solutions are key to sustainable data centres" (2024) link here.