Limited access to water is one of the world’s most pressing issues. According to the United Nations (UN), around 2 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water.. Access to clean water has therefore been identified as one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In Europe, the European Commission issued its Circular Economy Action Plan; including a new Water Reuse Regulation, which will apply from June 2023, to encourage circular approaches to water reuse in agriculture and to facilitate water reuse and efficiency in industrial processes. Meanwhile in the US, several States have developed action plans to address water shortages.

Microbial control can provide a solution to this challenge. With growing demand for water – especially in urban areas – disinfection eliminates harmful microorganisms, and preservation blocks bacteria and viruses from spreading into water. In addition, in places with strong industrial and population growth such as Asia, biocidal solutions are key to recycling water used in industrial production. If microbes were not eliminated with these solutions, corrosion, scale deposits and slime formation would lead to millions of cubic meters of water being wasted.