Circular Economy
Water Circularity
Definition
Water circularity describes managing water as a loop rather than a linear take-use-discharge flow: treating and reusing wastewater, recycling process water, recovering energy and nutrients from treatment streams, and replenishing natural systems. The goal is to minimise freshwater abstraction and pollution discharge.
References
Source imported for editorial provenance.
This reference provides supporting context for how “Water Circularity” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
Companies report water recycled and reused as a GRI 303 metric and set circularity targets; cities invest in reuse schemes; the Alliance for Water Stewardship and sector initiatives promote site-level circular water practices.
Why it matters
Freshwater demand is outstripping sustainable supply in many basins. Circularity reduces abstraction pressure, cuts pollution and recovers value from what was previously discharged.