This project aims to implement advanced water reuse systems in logistics centers located within the Humber Catchment, one of the most water-stressed regions in the United Kingdom. This basin is characterized by high-density water-competitive uses, including intensive agriculture, the food industry, and large-scale logistics operations, which have caused a sustained increase in water stress, further exacerbated by coastal saline intrusion and extreme weather events.
The intervention focuses on a comprehensive redesign of water management systems in these logistics centers, incorporating technologies for the capture, treatment, storage, and recirculation of different water streams: HVAC condensate, stormwater runoff, greywater from sanitation facilities, and water from industrial cleaning processes. The installation of ultrafiltration modules, advanced oxidation (AOP), dual-pass UV disinfection, and real-time control systems is planned, all oriented toward maximizing onsite reuse under efficiency, traceability, and discharge quality criteria.
From the VWBA 2.0 framework perspective, the project accounts for volumetric water benefits by substituting potable water withdrawals with equivalent volumes of internally treated water for non-potable uses. In addition, a WQBA component is considered due to the net reduction in pollutant load in discharged effluents, particularly in parameters such as COD, turbidity, and suspended solids.
A detailed baseline will be established based on operational records, installed flow meters, and laboratory analyses. Each stream will be assessed individually to quantify its reuse potential, treatment efficiency, and post-treatment quality. The quantified benefits will be integrated into the Aqua Positive platform, facilitating impact traceability and alignment with reporting frameworks such as ESRS E3 and Science-Based Targets for Water. The permanence of the benefits will also be assessed based on the lifespan of the installed systems, maintenance frequency, and operational consistency, ensuring additionality and methodological integrity.
The Humber Catchment faces increasing pressure on its water resources due to overlapping structural and climatic factors. These include the intensive extraction of groundwater, progressive saline intrusion in coastal areas linked to overexploitation and sea-level rise, seasonal precipitation scarcity, and significant diffuse agricultural pollution, particularly from nitrates, phosphorus, and sediments. This context results in degraded water quality and availability, with ecological and operational implications for productive sectors.
In this context, large-scale logistics centers represent operational units with a relevant water footprint, especially in non-productive uses (cleaning, cooling, sanitation services, and industrial washing processes). These centers also generate significant volumes of wastewater with reuse potential, including greywater and thermal condensates, which, under proper treatment conditions, can be reintegrated into internal use cycles. However, most of this water is currently discharged without prior utilization, representing a significant technical and environmental inefficiency.
The situation described presents a clear opportunity for intervention under the VWBA 2.0 and WQBA frameworks, through circular water strategies that enable the quantification and reporting of volumetric benefits generated by substituting potable water with recovered water, as well as quality benefits through reduced pollutant loads discharged into the environment. This approach aligns with both local regulatory requirements and international best practices in water governance for industrial logistics settings.
The project proposes the installation of modular treatment and recirculation systems for greywater, stormwater, and condensate, designed to enable reuse for non-potable applications within logistics operations. Intended uses include truck washing, industrial floor cleaning, irrigation of surrounding green areas, and indirect cooling systems.
Technically, the system includes a treatment train composed of coarse screening, primary sedimentation, membrane ultrafiltration, dual-pass UV disinfection, and advanced oxidation (AOP), ensuring efficient removal of organic matter, suspended solids, and microorganisms. For rainwater, draining roofs will be connected to retention tanks with primary filtration and subsequent integration into the main treatment system.
These modules are designed to operate autonomously and integrate with the building’s technical management system, enabling real-time monitoring of flow rates, water quality (COD, turbidity, conductivity), and operational parameters. Reusing these internal streams significantly reduces potable water intake, minimizes discharge volumes to the sewer system, and generates quantifiable benefits under the VWBA 2.0 approach, while also improving final effluent quality in line with WQBA principles.
Implementation is structured into five sequential phases with defined objectives and controls, ensuring the technical traceability of each intervention:
Phase 1 – Technical Diagnosis (Months 1–2): A complete water audit is conducted at each logistics center, identifying consumption points, wastewater generation, and potential reuse streams. Flow rates, usage frequency, conductivity, temperature, COD, TSS, and other variables are measured using temporary flow meters, multiparameter probes, and analytical sampling.
Phase 2 – Design and Sizing (Months 3–4): Based on diagnostic results, modular treatment systems are designed for each site. Storage volumes, hydraulic capacities, removal rates, and contaminant loads are calculated. The design includes physical layout, internal network connections, and optimal operational parameters. Monitoring is based on hydraulic simulations, water balance modeling, and peer review.
Phase 3 – Installation and Commissioning (Months 5–7): Installation of stormwater capture modules, HVAC condensate collection systems, ultrafiltration units, UV and AOP systems. Real-time sensors for flow, turbidity, conductivity, and COD are installed at strategic points. Monitoring during commissioning includes daily performance tracking, visual inspection, and efficiency curves.
Phase 4 – Pilot Operation and Adjustment (Months 8–10): Systems operate continuously for at least three months under intensive monitoring. Flows, retention times, and membrane cleaning cycles are adjusted. Treated water quality is compared against design parameters and performance is optimized. Monitoring includes verification of substituted consumption, volume of treated water, cleaning frequency, and weekly reporting.
Phase 5 – Scaling and Replication (Months 11–18): After validating the pilot phase, the system is replicated across other logistics centers, prioritizing those in higher-stress regions. Aggregated VWBA and WQBA indicators are established with digital reporting systems integrated into corporate environmental management platforms (such as Aqua Positive).
Continuous Monitoring Plan
Key Technologies Applied
This implementation scheme allows for a scalable, measurable, and traceable integration of industrial water reuse solutions, generating permanent and verifiable benefits in both water withdrawal reduction and water quality improvement.
This project aims to transform the water management of logistics centers located in the Humber Catchment through the implementation of technically advanced water reuse systems, aligned with the VWBA 2.0 (Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting) and WQBA (Water Quality Benefit Accounting) methodological frameworks. It proposes a scalable and traceable solution for water circularity in industrial environments, in a region of the United Kingdom identified as a priority by the CEO Water Mandate due to its high level of water stress and industrial-agricultural density.
The Humber Catchment presents structural challenges such as overexploitation of groundwater sources, progressive saline intrusion, seasonal precipitation scarcity, and diffuse pollution derived from intensive agriculture. These factors compromise both the quality and availability of water resources, affecting not only the health of aquatic ecosystems but also the operational resilience of productive sectors in the region.
The logistics centers located in this catchment are major consumers of water for non-potable uses such as truck washing, industrial floor cleaning, sanitation services, and cooling. At the same time, they generate significant volumes of high-quality residual streams suitable for reuse: greywater, thermal condensates, and stormwater runoff. Currently, these flows are neither valorized nor reused, representing both operational and environmental losses.
The project therefore proposes the capture, treatment, and recirculation of these water streams within each logistics center. Modular treatment trains will be implemented, composed of coarse filtration, sedimentation, membrane ultrafiltration, UV disinfection, and advanced oxidation (AOP). For stormwater, draining roofs, first-flush filters, and retention tanks will be integrated into the system. These systems will be connected to smart sensors for real-time measurement of flow rates, turbidity, conductivity, and organic load (COD), integrated with BMS or SCADA platforms for remote technical management.
From a methodological standpoint, the project will apply the A-2 method from VWBA to account for the volume of potable water replaced by treated, recovered water reused internally. Simultaneously, a WQBA evaluation will measure the reduction in pollutant loads in the final effluent, comparing concentration and volume against the established baseline. Both types of benefits will be documented and reported through traceability platforms such as Aqua Positive, and aligned with reporting standards like ESRS E3 and the Science-Based Targets for Water.
Deployment will follow five phases: water audit, technical design, system installation, pilot operation, and replication in other centers. Monitoring will remain active throughout the operational lifecycle, including monthly sensor calibration, laboratory sampling, and annual external audits. This ensures additionality, benefit permanence, and verification under international frameworks.
In terms of impact, the project directly contributes to eight Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably its role in reducing freshwater consumption (SDG 6), freeing up water resources for agriculture (SDG 2), promoting technological innovation (SDG 9), reducing indirect emissions (SDG 13), restoring water bodies (SDG 15), strengthening partnerships (SDG 17), boosting green employment (SDG 8), and circularity in logistics processes (SDG 12).
Ultimately, this is a replicable intervention that enhances water efficiency, climate resilience, and the environmental performance of logistics operations, while generating measurable, reportable, and verifiable benefits aligned with global corporate sustainability frameworks.
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