PHOENIX – In less than 20 years, scientists predict fresh water supplies will dry up for more than a quarter of the world’s population as megadroughts and climate change alter the environment.

“Ensuring safe water for all who need it has to be global priority. It is imperative that governments and businesses collaborate to find solutions to global water scarcity,” said Mike Boyko, president and CEO of Dynamic Water Technologies. “We must find innovative approaches to minimize water usage worldwide.”

As we observe World Environment Day on June 5, here are some hard facts about water scarcity worldwide:

• In the next 5 years, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. – World Wildlife Fund, 2020

• 844 million people lack basic drinking water access, more than 1 of every 10 people on the planet. – World Vision, 2020

• Typical home use of water — for washing, flushing, and cooking — represents about 3 percent of humanity’s total water consumption. Agriculture uses the lion’s share, 80 to 90 percent, followed by energy production and industry. For example, the water footprint of one orange — the net amount of water used to grow it — averages 21 gallons (80 liters). – National Geographic, 2018

“In order to save precious drinking water, we need to look at how large building structures consume enormous amounts of water to cool them,” Boyko adds. “We can save millions and millions of gallons of water used in industrial processes and for cooling large buildings by adapting how we treat and reuse water, especially in drought-stricken areas.”

Scientists with Columbia University studied tree rings throughout the southwestern United States over several years, and concluded in a report released this year that the current drought is the worst in 1,200 years and is likely exacerbated by human-caused climate change.

Dynamic Water Technologies, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is at the forefront of technological advances in reducing water consumption used for industrial processes and in large cooling towers. Earlier this year, the city of Los Angeles won an Innovator of the Year Award for saving 2.45 million gallons of water in less than two years. City leaders attributed the savings to DWT’s technology. This massive water savings is enough to fill nearly 4 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

“Those gallons of water can be redirected for household water, or agricultural uses,” Boyko noted. “We’ve got to do better to save and reuse water, as a nation and as global citizens.”

The DWT process uses electrolysis to remove bio-contaminants, mineral build-up and other impurities from industrial water. In large cooling towers, this translates to water being used for many additional cycles. Balancing the water produces savings in water and sewer, and eliminates the need to add chemicals, which reduces overall operating costs.

After independent studies, federal and municipal leaders have recommended widespread use of DWT’s water treatment system in government buildings.

The installation at Los Angeles City Hall East is one of two at government facilities that used DWT’s treatment system as part of studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a division within the U.S. Department of Energy.  The three-month study at the 242,000 square-foot Juliette Gordon Low Federal Building in Savannah, Ga., produced similar water-saving results as those reported in Los Angeles. The General Services Administration, which issued the study, recommended that DWT’s technology be adopted at all federal government facilities.

In Los Angeles, city officials reached the same conclusion after seeing results from using Dynamic Water’s treatment system at City Hall East. They contacted DWT and its system is being installed at the city’s Department of Water and Power’s headquarters, a 17-story, 880,500-square foot building that is anticipated to save millions of gallons of water within a year.

DWT already is having an impact throughout California with installations at SoCalGas’ research center in Downey, Gilead Sciences in Oceanside, NASA at Edwards Air Force Base, and Roche Molecular in Pleasanton.  In the company’s home state, clients include Banner Health, Roche Ventana Medical, and Transwestern Commercial Development. All report saving millions of gallons by using the treatment process.