World Water Day shines a light on the value of freshwater. In Europe, organizations are balancing stricter expectations on water use with climate volatility and pressure to decarbonize. Thais Gervasio, Head of Water Solutions for Ecolab in Europe, shares where she sees the biggest shifts, and what practical steps can strengthen resilience. 

Thais leads Ecolab’s Water Solutions business in Europe, partnering with industrial customers across 40 industries and 170 countries to improve performance across the full water cycle, from treatment and reuse to discharge. 

Interview 

Q: When it comes to water management, for customers in Europe, what feels most urgent right now?  
A: Water is becoming less predictable. Drought, intense rainfall and shifting seasons are colliding with higher expectations on quality and transparency. For many industries, the question has moved from optimization to continuity: how do we stay competitive and drive future growth? And how do we keep operating when conditions change? The focus is on resilience, which means reducing losses, improving energy performance, and building the flexibility to handle disruption. 

Q: What does “water resilience” mean in real terms? 
A: It’s the ability to keep delivering the right water quality, when you need it, at a cost you can sustain, even under stress. From there, resilience comes from tighter operations and better control, and from designing systems so more water can be reused and recovered instead of treated as a one-way input. 

Q: What is driving this fast shift in the European water landscape? 
A: There’s growing recognition that action is needed. Around 30% of the EU population lives in areas of permanent water stress, so this is no longer a niche issue or a “southern Europe only” story. Climate impacts are becoming more local and more disruptive, while expectations on affordability and environmental outcomes keep rising. Many organizations still lack basic visibility. Water is critical, but it isn’t measured and managed with the same discipline as energy, so it’s harder to prioritize investment and turn strategy into delivery. The good news is that technology is there: monitoring, advanced treatment and digital optimization are more scalable than ever. What’s needed now is connecting them into a clear roadmap. 

Q: How does that shift show up for industry and when does water become a competitiveness issue? 
A: Water connects to competitiveness because it shapes decisions: what you can produce, how reliably you can run, and whether you can expand. It also shows up in costs. Water doesn’t sit on its own; it’s tied to energy and emissions through pumping, heating, cooling and treatment. That’s why we say water efficiency is often energy efficiency, cutting water use or improving reuse loops can reduce embedded energy and operating costs at the same time. 

Q: If you’re running an industrial site, where do you start? 
A: Start with a real baseline: what’s used where, what’s lost, where quality changes, and what that means for energy. Once you can see the system clearly, the priorities tend to become obvious: tighten control, stop avoidable waste and stabilize performance. From there you can make bigger calls on circularity, which means reuse, recovery, and changes that reduce exposure to volatility. 

Q: You mentioned energy. Where are the most realistic decarbonization gains in water? 
A: The gains can be achieved in the parts of the system that run every day. Better control and optimization can cut energy without compromising compliance, and good maintenance prevents the slow drift that drives inefficiency. Success comes when organizations manage water, energy and carbon together, because saving water often means saving the energy embedded in moving and treating it. 

Q: What are Ecolab customers sharing about water right now? 
A: Customers tell us that water is essential to run their businesses, yet they no longer take its availability, affordability or predictability for granted. Alongside that, there is a growing recognition that water is a strategic priority, and it now belongs to the boardroom agenda. That’s why the conversation has shifted to action: measuring performance properly, making the case for investment, and building more circular systems that reuse and recover water on site. They’re also looking for partners who can deliver results consistently, because the water–energy nexus means every efficiency gain can show up in cost, emissions and resilience. 

Q: What needs to happen for water reuse to become more commonplace? 
A: Reuse scales when the end-use is clear and performance is proven. That means the right treatment barriers, monitoring that supports fast decisions, and early alignment with regulators and local stakeholders so expectations are set from the start. The technology is available today. Done well, reuse reduces pressure on freshwater sources and gives both communities and industry more continuity when conditions tighten.  

Q: Where does digital deliver the most value in water today? 
A: When it helps people run the plant better. Early warning on quality shifts, energy optimization, and insights that prevent failures are all practical. Digital also makes reporting more consistent, which is key when expectations on transparency are rising. Digital enables our customers to benchmark multiple sites across the globe and implement best practice. The test is simple: does it positively impact decisions on the ground? If the answer is yes, then it’s a solution that will drive value for water. 

Q: What message would you like to share on World Water Day? 
A: Water cannot be taken for granted, yet it is often managed as if tomorrow will look like yesterday. My message is simple: build resilience now. Start with a clear view of risk, prioritize actions that deliver near-term performance gains, and make long-term choices that keep options open, including efficiency, reuse, and flexible operations.  

Smarter water management protects operations today, strengthens competitiveness for the future, and supports healthy communities and a sustainable economy. 

Water is increasingly treated as a strategic input because it affects cost, energy performance, risk and growth. Organizations making progress start by measuring and controlling the system properly, then invest in circular approaches such as reuse and recovery to reduce exposure to volatility. The question now is less “do we need a water strategy?” and more “how fast can we implement it?” 

Key takeaways 

• Make resilience measurable: improve visibility, cut losses, and build flexibility. 
• Scale circular water: efficiency and reuse can reduce risk and improve continuity. 
• Use digital for decisions: focus on insights operators can apply quickly. 
  
  

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