There is a global trend towards smart water use in the mining and metals industry in response to the decline in the quantity and quality of available water resources worldwide. Water stewardship is an approach to water resources management that underpins socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial use of water, as defined by the Alliance for Water Stewardship [1]. In 2018, ICMM members made water stewardship commitments [2] “to apply strong and transparent water governance, to manage water at operations effectively and to collaborate to achieve responsible and sustainable water use”.
[1] https://a4ws.org/about/
[2] ICMM (2017), Water Stewardship: Position Statement, https://www.icmm.com/en-gb/about-us/member-requirements/position-statements/water-stewardship
