As water scarcity intensifies, the semiconductor industry faces growing pressure to rethink how it uses and manages freshwater. Therese Noorlander, director of industry sustainability at Grundfos, speaks to Water & Wastewater Asia about why closing the water awareness gap is now critical to long-term resilience, competitiveness and sustainable growth.
Semiconductor manufacturing relies on water-intensive processes, from wafer cleaning to ultrapure water production, making water availability a growing operational risk for fabs worldwide
Despite its technological sophistication, the semiconductor industry continues to underestimate the scale and urgency of global freshwater scarcity. This awareness gap, observed at a recent industry summit, reflects a deeper structural issue that extends beyond semiconductors alone.
According to Therese Noorlander, director of industry sustainability at Grundfos, the sector has historically focused on production efficiency, often at the expense of long-term resource stewardship.
“This has created a blind spot around water scarcity,” she said. “What was once seen as an environmental issue has now become a strategic risk that threatens operational resilience and competitiveness.”
She noted that water stress often remains invisible, particularly in regions where supply disruptions are not yet acute. Combined with the complexity of global water cycles and a long-standing assumption of abundance, this has delayed meaningful action.
As pressures from population growth, industrial demand, pollution and climate change intensify, Noorlander stressed that freshwater must be recognised as a finite and fragile resource.
“We need to shift from a mindset of abundance to one of stewardship, and that starts with awareness and urgency.”
Water availability as a constraint on sector growth
With only one percent of the world’s freshwater accessible for human and industrial use, water availability is increasingly shaping the semiconductor sector’s long-term outlook. Noorlander explained that as demand for chips rises, manufacturers face growing competition for water resources alongside tighter regulatory scrutiny.
Read the full article in Water & Wastewater Asia, March/April 2026.
