In recent years, companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina exporting to the European Union market have increasingly been receiving inquiries related to water consumption in production. Buyers request data on the amount of water used in manufacturing processes, the way wastewater is managed, and the measures companies apply to reduce the consumption of this resource. These questions are increasingly appearing through ESG questionnaires, supplier assessments, and tender documentation, as European companies are required to have a clear understanding of the environmental impact of their supply chains.
In the textile industry, water represents one of the key resources because it is used in processes such as washing, dyeing, and chemical treatment of fabrics. Companies exporting to the EU market are already facing requests to provide data on the amount of water used per kilogram of produced textile or per production batch. In many factories, the total water consumption is known at the facility level, but there is often limited insight into how much water is used in individual stages of production. When flow meters are installed on washing and dyeing lines, it frequently becomes evident that the greatest losses occur precisely in these processes. Controlling the duration of rinsing cycles and applying more precise water dosing can reduce consumption without requiring changes to the production technology itself.
In the food industry, water is used in almost every stage of production—from washing raw materials to cleaning equipment and production lines. In dairy processing, meat processing, and beverage production, systems for automatic cleaning of equipment, known as CIP (Cleaning-in-Place) systems, are particularly important. When these systems operate longer than necessary or use larger quantities of water than optimal, consumption increases significantly. Introducing more precise flow sensors and optimizing the duration of cleaning cycles often leads to noticeable reductions in water and chemical consumption. In some production facilities, simply shortening certain cleaning phases already results in measurable water savings without additional investment.
In the metal industry, water is most commonly used in cooling processes, cleaning operations, and surface treatment of metals. Open cooling systems often lead to continuous water losses because water must constantly be replenished due to evaporation or leakage. Closed-loop cooling systems allow the same water to be reused multiple times before replacement, significantly reducing total consumption. In many industrial facilities, an additional challenge arises from aging pipelines and installations where leaks occur and often remain unnoticed until a detailed inspection of the system is carried out.
Water management is not limited only to consumption, but also includes the treatment of wastewater. In industries that use chemicals or metal processing techniques, it is particularly important to maintain control over the quality of wastewater before it is discharged. European buyers increasingly want assurance that suppliers have wastewater treatment systems in place and that they regularly monitor basic parameters such as pH values, the presence of metals, or chemical substances. Companies that maintain well-organized documentation of these processes are far more likely to successfully pass supplier assessments and audits conducted by buyers.
Water management is becoming part of a broader approach to resource management in industry. Companies that have a clear overview of water consumption across individual production processes can more easily identify where losses occur and where more efficient operational practices can be introduced. In business relationships with partners from the European Union, such control over operational processes is increasingly viewed as an indicator of supplier reliability and the ability to manage resources in a responsible manner.
