Water demand management in industry is managed primarily through regulation of water abstraction (especially for large industrial water users) and regulation of wastewater discharge. In many countries large water users can apply for permits to directly remove ="abstract"- water from the natural environment for industrial purposes. A common example is the energy industry which requires large volumes of water for cooling purposes in thermal and hydropower electricity generation facilities. In the UK electricity generators are responsible for more than half of all licensed water abstraction. In other countries the proportion of abstraction earmarked for electricity generation varies widely, but it almost always a significant factor in overall water supply demand balance. Many studies of this water-energy nexus focus on process optimisation or input substitution.
