Strategic Planning For U.S. Industrial Water Use: Visualizing Texas, North Carolina, and Indiana Historical Trends and Projections

Abstract

Chemical, oil & gas, and textile manufacturing industries are the major divers of United States industrial water use, shaping both the economy and water trends in the regions they inhabit. Texas (TX), North Carolina (NC), and Indiana (IN) are dominant examples of states influenced by the fluctuation of these industries and have therefore been selected as study states. This study analyzes historical, spatial-temporal trends in water use and makes projections for next decade using robust datasets of monthly facility-level water use data. The datasets indicate that spatially, water use and locations of facilities have remained centralized near the coast of TX, while facilities have shifted towards small clusters throughout NC and IN. NC and IN monthly water use follow a seasonal pattern with consistent major users. Additionally, TX industrial water use is estimated to decrease in next decade while the other two states remain stable. The study highlights the need for incorporating industrial water demand into a holistic water plan such as the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) framework (Savenjie and Vander Zaag, 2000). Within the IWRM management strategy, this work has contributed to future local and state level planning by 1) creating a platform for state benchmarking and comparison through the interactive R Shiny Web application , 2) creating much needed projections for three states, and 3) providing a detailed documentation of how to derive the projections. Moving forward, consistent and robust local and state level reporting and recording practices from each state is essential to ensure for the ability to meet future demand.