Airports are a critical element in the wider aviation industry’s attempts to become a sustainable enterprise. True sustainability goes beyond the carbon footprint of the business entity’s operations, however, and diverse factors of ecological and social harmony need to be factored in. Water is an acutely important sustainability battlefront for airports, particularly those in the Middle East where water security is more difficult to achieve.
Across the world, airports are embracing a widening range of water conservation techniques and technological advancements. Not only is this a top priority for environmental impact reasons, it also presents multiple paths for operational cost savings, at a time when airports need to be leaner and more efficient than ever.
Leading water conservation approaches gaining ground
Water-saving infrastructural upgrades: Reduce, reuse, recycle is the mantra of the circular economy and it applies directly to water conservation too. Airports have myriad opportunities to improve the sustainability performance of both major infrastructural assets and more humble customer-facing equipment. For example, airports can install water reclamation, purification and/or treatment facilities on-site to better manage the water flowing through their area of management. Equally, small changes can add up, as low-flow bathroom fixtures (sinks, toilets, etc) or even waterless toilets can save water with every customer who uses them.
Nature-based solutions: International airports generally cover vast areas, and even smaller local airports can boast a sizeable footprint. While terminals, runaways and other manmade installations are a large proportion of this space, open areas of greenery, bordering woods and landscaped sections mean that nature shares the square meterage as well. Airports can drastically reduce their water usage with smart irrigation systems, as well as favouring plants that need less water or are resistant to drought. Even more innovative nature-based solutions can be employed when airports work with leading environmental and geoenvironmental consultancy firms, like Saudi Airports Exhibitor RSK Environmental.
Stormwater management: In the wake of the deadly floods in the UAE and Oman during April 2024, Middle Eastern airports are under increasing pressure to improve their ability to manage stormwater effectively. Nature can play a part here alongside artificial constructs, as suitable subsoil and even simple pond formation areas can be remarkably effective at handling deluges safely, even retaining water for future use.
Exemplar Airports – Fighting for every drop
Hamad International Airport (DOH): In Qatar, DOH is aggressively pursuing its sustainability targets for 2030, which include a 30% drop in CO2 emissions and improvements on its already impressive water conservation capabilities. Since the completion of its advanced on-site wastewater treatment plant DOH uses 100% Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) for irrigation purposes. In less than a year, the airport treated over 3 million cubic metres of sewage, avoiding the consumption of potable water for its irrigation needs.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA): Mumbai’s CSMIA is a major regional hub and welcomed over 4.36 million passengers this April alone. With millions passing through every month, the water consumption of customers represents a significant pressure on local water sources, prompting change at every available opportunity. For the financial year 2023-2024, CSMIA managed to achieve an impressive 42% water recycling rate, up from 33% the previous year. This represents, 351,724 megalitres (3,517,240,000,000 litres). Specific innovations that made this possible include waterless urinals across both terminals, water flow reducers in the toilets, as well as tap aerators and motion sensors in the washbasins. CSMIA’s landscaping has also improved its water sustainability through the installation of drip irrigation systems, while the nearby area is undergoing various reforestation and ecosystem restoration efforts.
More blue = more green
Airports across the world, especially those in water-stressed regions, benefit greatly from continually improving their water conservation capabilities and overall sustainability. Securing available water supplies while eliminating wastefulness translates directly into cost savings as well as gains in terms of the airport’s eco-friendliness.
These are not only tangible measures of success; they are also increasingly important in terms of public relations and education measures. Setting a good example for water sustainability can generate goodwill with environmentally minded consumers while galvanising others to do their part.
