Chipping away at water waste

As demand for microchips continues to rise, so too does the strain on one of the industry’s most essential, and overlooked, resources: water. Semiconductor manufacturing is a water-intensive process, with fabrication facilities (or “fabs”) consuming millions of gallons each day. And while industry investments are accelerating under the CHIPS Act, many of these facilities are being built in regions facing growing water scarcity.

In a recent issue of Water Environment & Technology, John Rydzewski, Carollo’s private sector sustainability lead, explores this tension in his article, “Chipping Away at Water Waste.” His message is clear: if the U.S. semiconductor industry is to build true water resilience, it must go beyond conventional zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) and embrace full-scale ultrapure water (UPW) recycling.

Zero-Liquid Discharge Isn’t Always Zero Waste

Many fabs have adopted end-of-pipe ZLD systems to treat and reclaim water used in chip production. But Rydzewski notes a critical flaw: most of the reclaimed water is diverted to mechanical systems like scrubbers or cooling towers, not back into the UPW systems that supply water for production. This results in millions of gallons of ultra-clean, reclaimed water being effectively wasted.

This happens despite the fact that fabs already control the full life cycle of their water, from city supply to discharge, giving them unique insight into water quality and the opportunity for safe reuse.

A Missed Opportunity for Water Recycling in Chip Manufacturing

The article highlights that nearly 76% of the water withdrawn by a fab is used directly in manufacturing, yet this is the very stream least likely to benefit from recycling. Instead of closing the loop, manufacturers often rely on new municipal water supplies, which may be less consistent in quality and vulnerable to climate-driven disruption.

Rydzewski points to Singapore as a model, where all water used for UPW production is reclaimed from treated municipal wastewater. This approach not only reduces demand on freshwater supplies but also improves cost and energy efficiency within UPW systems.

Redefining Resilience in the Semiconductor Industry

As chip complexity increases and climate change puts additional pressure on water systems, Rydzewski argues that fabs must embrace a new standard, one that combines ZLD with UPW recycling to reduce freshwater demand and strengthen operational reliability.

“If semiconductors are as critical to national security as believed,” he writes, “it is only a matter of when, not if, the semiconductor industry will embrace EOP/ZLD combined with UPW recycling as standard operating procedure.”

Explore the full article in Water Environment & Technology to learn how the industry can rethink water reuse.