3520: How Ecolab Is Rethinking Water Risk In An AI Driven World

Are we finally treating water risk like a board-level issue, rather than a line item that only shows up when something breaks?

 

In this episode, I’m joined by Emilio Tenuta, SVP and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, to unpack why water has become a strategic variable for business, right alongside energy and carbon. Ecolab works with customers across more than 40 industries in more than 170 countries, so Emilio has a front row seat to how quickly the conversation is changing.

 

Why water risk feels different in 2025

One of the most useful parts of this conversation is how Emilio frames water as “hyperlocal.” A company can publish a global target, but the real pressure shows up basin by basin, site by site, community by community.

 

We also discuss the misconception that water is primarily an operational concern. The knock-on effects show up in uptime, expansion plans, permitting, reputation, and the social license to operate.

 

Emilio points to disclosure data that puts real money behind the issue. CDP has estimated water-related supply chain risks at $77 billion across responding companies, which helps explain why boards are paying closer attention.

 

Where AI meets water and energy

 

AI is a catalyst in two directions at once. It can help organizations measure, predict, and reduce waste, but it also drives demand for more data centers, more power, and more cooling.

 

We examine the tension many people are whispering about: building digital capacity in places already facing water stress. Emilio’s view is pragmatic: the answer is responsible innovation, coupled with transparency on how water is used and how impacts are managed.

 

That takes us into Ecolab’s push toward digital visibility and real-time control, because you cannot improve what you cannot see.

 

From “site to chip” cooling and smarter stewardship

 

Emilio shares that Ecolab’s 3D TRASAR Technology for direct-to-chip liquid cooling is designed to protect high-performance servers by monitoring coolant health indicators in real time and translating that data into actionable steps for operators.

 

We also discuss what happens when AI is applied to the water side of the data center equation. Ecolab and Digital Realty have described a pilot across 35 US data centers to reduce water use by up to 15% and avoid up to 126 million gallons of potable water withdrawn annually.

 

To round things out, we discuss circularity as a business strategy, the role of collaboration through efforts like the Water Resilience Coalition, and why Ecolab’s Watermark Study is worth reading if you want a pulse check on water stewardship and public sentiment.

 

So after listening, where do you land on the big question: is AI going to become a stress test for local water systems, or a tool that finally helps us run them better, and why?

Useful Links: 

• Connect with Emilio Tenuta
• Learn more Ecolab
• Follow Ecolab on Linkedin

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