The “Water Cluster” – A Taxonomy

Consider the range of industries that fall into the sustainable management of water.  David Dell, Ph.D., proposes this framework:

Water supply from groundwater
Well drilling
Pump installation and maintenance
Automatic irrigation and watering systems
Water quality testing and assurance
Water Pressure and Water Storage Tanks
Water Filters and Disinfection

Water pollution control/ prevention/ remediation
Leach field installation and maintenance
Septic Tank installation and maintenance
Water pollution control and prevention technologies
Pump Station installation and maintenance
Swimming pool maintenance
Water-efficient appliances
Water-efficient industrial processes

Stormwater management
Storm drain installation and maintenance
Catchbasin installation and maintenance
Pond outlet installation and maintenance
Wetland design, installation, maintenance and reporting
Stormwater management systems
Roof and gutter systems
Green roof retrofit, new roofs, growing media production, maintenance
Rain barrel installation and maintenance
Rain garden plant and mulch supplies

Wastewater treatment
Chemical and biological processes
Plant design, engineering, construction
Biosolids for fuel or fertilizer, and other byproducts

Water-based transportation, recreation, and production
Ferries, including alternative powered
Boat building: kayaks, canoes, sailboats
Fisheries and hatcheries, aquaculture
Marinas and shoreline infrastructure, soft engineering options
Fishing supplies, education, location, easements

Water-energy linkages
Hydro power
Tidal power
Ground source heat pumps using drilled wills or horizontal coils
Closed cycle technology for power plants
Power generation from wastewater bio gas
Conservation of cooling water in conventional power plants
Water quality in connection with natural gas and oil extraction

Cross-cutting fields
Engineering
Architecture
Construction
Paving and infrastructure
Excavation and draining
Landscape architecture
Legal
Policy
Education and training
Research
Product design and innovation
Technology commercialization
Sales and marketing
Customer support
Trade association leadership and advocacy
Grant making and investment