Every manufactured product, from the clothes worn to the technology used, relies on a complex chain of industrial processes that require water. Understanding the scale of this consumption is the first step in assessing global water security and the sustainability of production systems. This exploration will clarify the specific percentage of global water allocated to manufacturing and detail the often-hidden ways water is integrated into the production of goods.
Global Industrial Water Withdrawal Percentage
Worldwide, the manufacturing sector, including industrial processes and power generation, accounts for approximately 19% of all freshwater withdrawals. This statistic represents the water taken directly from surface or groundwater sources, such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers, by factories and industrial facilities.
This industrial percentage contrasts sharply with the other major sectors of global water use. Agriculture is the largest global consumer, responsible for roughly 70% of all freshwater withdrawals, primarily for irrigation. The remaining share, approximately 10% to 12%, is allocated to domestic or municipal uses, covering household needs. The industrial share can vary dramatically by region; in highly industrialized nations, the percentage sometimes consumes more than half of the national water supply.
Functions of Water in Manufacturing Processes
Water drawn directly by a factory serves several distinct mechanical and chemical functions. A major use of water in the industrial sector is for thermal management in cooling systems. Manufacturing processes often generate immense heat, and water is circulated through cooling towers and heat exchangers to prevent equipment damage and maintain optimal operating temperatures.
Beyond temperature control, water is an indispensable ingredient or solvent within many products themselves. In the chemical industry, it is used for purification, synthesis, and as a medium for chemical reactions. Food and beverage manufacturers incorporate water directly into their final products, using it for mixing, processing, and sanitation within the facility.
Water also functions as a transport medium and a cleaning agent. It can be used to dilute highly concentrated materials to usable levels or to flush raw materials and waste through pipes and channels. Highly specialized industries, such as semiconductor manufacturing, rely on ultra-pure water in multiple stages to wash impurities from silicon wafers.
The Concept of Embedded Water
The direct withdrawal percentage significantly undercounts the full water footprint of manufactured goods. This deeper measure is captured by “embedded water,” also known as virtual water, which quantifies the total volume of water used throughout a product’s entire supply chain. This includes water used for growing raw materials, processing, manufacturing, and the water required to dilute pollutants generated during production.
The vast majority of this embedded water consumption occurs long before the product reaches the final factory floor. For example, the production of agricultural commodities that serve as industrial raw materials, such as cotton for textiles, requires substantial irrigation and rainfall. A single kilogram of cotton, enough for one t-shirt and a pair of jeans, requires an estimated 10,000 liters of water simply for the crop to grow.
The true water cost of consumer items is much larger than the direct factory use suggests. Producing a single pair of jeans, for instance, is estimated to require approximately 2,866 gallons of water across its entire lifecycle. Understanding embedded water involves categorizing the usage into three types: green water (rainwater stored in the soil), blue water (surface or groundwater), and gray water (the volume needed to dilute pollution).
High-Impact Manufacturing Sectors
Water use is not evenly distributed across the industrial sector, as a few specific industries are exceptionally water-intensive. The apparel and textile manufacturing sector is notoriously demanding, largely due to the extensive use of water in processes like dyeing, bleaching, and finishing fabrics. These “wet processes” require large volumes of water to dissolve chemicals and rinse materials, generating significant wastewater.
Another major consumer is the pulp and paper industry, which relies on water for nearly every stage of production, including cooking, bleaching, and forming the paper sheet. Similarly, the chemical manufacturing sector uses immense volumes of water as a solvent and processing fluid. This often results in complex wastewater streams that require extensive treatment before discharge.