Optimizing Industry Water Use: Evaluation of the Use of Water Stewardship Tools by Great Lakes Basin Industries

A growing number of water stewardship tools are being developed and applied to assess corporate water practices and to support development and implementation of sustainable water strategies. The perspectives and objectives of the tool developers differ, but they share a common intent to support sustainable management of the planet's limited freshwater resources. These tools have largely focused on concerns related to water use in water-stressed regions of the world. This report brings a different perspective to the global water use/water scarcity discussion in that it describes a study that explores the applicability of water stewardship tools to industries operating in the Great Lakes Basin, a water-rich region that encompasses large parts of the United States and Canada.