Driven by the lack of focus on water management in industrial symbiosis research, the study Water innovation in industrial symbiosis offers the first global review of water innovation practices in documented industrial symbiosis cases. The study examines the global prevalence of water innovation practices, extending beyond the common practices of water treatment and reuse, to propose six categories: utility sharing for alternative water supply, utility sharing for wastewater treatment, water recovery, energy recovery from water, material recovery from water, and material exchange to enhance water/wastewater treatment. The findings reveal regional differences in adoption, with diverse practices seen in Asia and Europe. Additionally, they show that most symbiosis cases emphasize the significant role of public utilities and shared water facilities in advancing water innovation, while ‘pure’ interfirm water-related symbiosis remains limited. This review also highlights significant knowledge gaps and research needs for promoting sustainable water management and innovation in industrial symbiosis. Overall, our study contributes to developing a comprehensive framework for water innovation practices in industrial symbiosis and underscores the necessity for future research in this field.

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