Several global corporations have joined a World Resources Institute project that is developing a new database and mapping tools to help companies manage their water resources and reduce risk.
The Aqueduct project — which so far has enlisted companies such as Coca-Cola, General Electric, and Dow Chemical — will use hydrological modeling and a wide range of data to identify water supplies globally, track water use trends, and provide insights into regions facing potential risks, including physical, regulatory and socioeconomic factors.
So far, the project has developed a water risk atlas that calculates risks associated with the Yellow River Basin in northern China.
Later this year, the project will release similar mapping tools for other high-priority river basins, including the Colorado River in the U.S., the Murray Darling River in Australia, the Orange-Sequ River in Africa, and China’s Yangtze River.
In addition to helping heavily water-dependent companies identify potential supply problems, the tool is expected to assist water and wastewater solutions companies in identifying regions and clients in need of risk mitigation.
Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.
