demand, lowers chemical usage, and can eliminate the need for costly temporary water treatment equipment. Once demand is accurately aligned, the next layer or ‘available fruit’ becomes far more effective. Recovery and reuse efforts inside the fence can deliver stronger perfor- mance because the system is no longer compensating for avoidable losses. At this stage, capital projects evolve from just ambitious ideas into well-supported decisions with clear financial justification. Operations flexibility Operational flexibility is an underrated performance advan - tage. Many facilities focus on efficiency but overlook opera - tional flexibility. It can distinguish a stable water programme from one that constantly struggles. Temporary system connections, alternate routing options, or the ability to blend sources can provide operators with more tools to respond to changing conditions. For exam- ple, access to higher-quality water sources can improve cooling tower performance, allow higher operating cycles, and reduce water demand and reliance on costly purchased water supply. The biggest advantage is optionality. Flexibility does not just lower costs; it strengthens a facility’s resilience by pro- viding operations with more ways to keep the plant stable when conditions shift, and can be the difference between steady operations and costly disruption. Reuse Water reuse is often treated as a one-time decision: build the system, turn it on, and expect immediate results. The most successful reuse programmes evolve over time. Facilities that have already stabilised their baseline demand are better positioned to evaluate reuse opportu- nities strategically. The best reuse target is not always the obvious one. While cooling water is frequently considered first, higher-value applications such as boiler feedwater may offer stronger economics depending on location, prox- imity, and treatment requirements. Successful programmes often begin with pilots or sea- sonal operations, allowing teams to test performance, refine treatment needs, and build confidence before scaling. Over time, recovery rates can improve, and reuse can shift from a limited trial into a permanent operational advantage. Alignment Alignment is the difference between a project and a pro- gramme. The strongest water reduction programmes con- sistently follow three principles: • Reduce waste first through operational discipline. • Build flexibility through smarter system design and connectivity. • Align the organisation so execution matches strategy. Every drop counts, but success comes when the struc- ture is built to manage it. A sustainable and effective water strategy does not require perfection, and it often does not require major capital. What it does require is focus, sequencing, and accountability. When those ele- ments are in place, water management becomes a driver
of reliability, cost reduction, risk control, and long-term resilience. This article is a summary of a session held at the March 2026 AFPM Annual Meeting, ‘Every Drop Counts: Water Strategies for Refiners’. References 1 Veolia North America’s Tripe Net Zero Study, 2023/ 2024 https://info.veo- lianorthamerica.com/veolia-triple-net-zero-industry-progress-report-2024 2 World Economic Forum www.weforum.org/stories/2023/03/global- freshwater-demand-will-exceed-supply-40-by-2030-experts-warn/ 3 Bennett, Celeste C.B., America is in a water crisis, but help is on the way, Civil Engineering Source , ASCE, September 17, 2024. 4 US Bureau of Reclamation www.usbr.gov/mp/arwec/water-facts- ww-water-sup.html 5 ArcGIS https://ft.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index. html?appid=0cdff7e116c0425fa55d1226e9204477 6 US Drought Monitor https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap.aspx 7 American Edge Project and Technology Councils of North America – AXIOS www.axios.com/2025/12/18/data-center-growth-map-states https://blog.implan.com/winter-drought 8 NYTimes and other public sources www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/ technology/microsoft-water-ai-data-centers.html; https://netzeroinsights.com/resources/how-ai-intensifying-data-center -water-consumption; https://harcresearch.org/news/texas-data-center-boom-could-con- sume-up-to-161-billion-gallons-of-water-annually-by-2030/ 9 Mianzan, A, Vaiopoulou, E, Greaves, T, Hjort, M. (2022). Definition Guidelines of Water Reuse, Recycling and Reclamation for European Refinery Secto r. 10.13140/RG.2.2.26717.79845. Dr Carlos Alberto Cavalca is Vice President of Technology, Performance, and Innovation at Veolia North America’s Sustainable Industries and Buildings unit, where he leads an organisation focused on operations engineering, performance optimisation, technical development for O&M projects, and innovation development in waste valorisation, wastewater recovery, energy, e-fuels, and emerging sectors like semiconductors and data centres. Cavalca has 31 years of experience in refining, fertiliser, mining, and power. He holds a PhD, MPh, and MS in chemical engi- neering from Yale University, with an Argentine chemical engineer’s degree (Gold Medal Honours), and holds five US patents and numerous peer-reviewed publications. Email: charles.cavalca@veolia.com Eric Ye is a Process Group Leader in the Strategic Planning and Process Solutions Division of Becht, where his responsibilities include manag- ing, resourcing, and coordinating engineering consulting and support services for the refining, renewable fuels, petrochemical, and utility industry. Ye has been involved in the petroleum refining and petrochem - ical industry for the past 30 years, during which he has held positions in engineering, operations, construction management, and financial analysis. He holds a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Drexel University. Email: eye@becht.com Karen Green is the Corporate Sustainability Technologist at Marathon Petroleum (MPC) and is based at its Los Angeles refinery in California. She is responsible for the company’s energy and water efficiency man - agement programmes across MPC’s 13 petroleum refineries and two renewables facilities. Green has 30 years of experience in the refining industry, leading multifaceted programmes requiring robust, sustaina- ble, and effective solutions. She holds a master’s in chemical engineer- ing from the University of Birmingham, UK and a BSc in chemistry from the University of Liverpool, UK.
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