Microsoft’s Azure Cloud helps Ecolab fight global water shortage

Microsoft has partnered with Ecolab to help them more efficiently monitor water usage and hygiene and further assist worldwide industries in the energy, agriculture, food and beverage, manufacturing and hospitality sectors in dealing with the growing problem of water scarcity caused by climate change and the increase in human population.

In an interview with Microsoft, Christophe Beck, president of Nalco Water (an Ecolab company) explains the problems faced by companies. “What our customers truly want when they work with us is to first and foremost reuse their water usage. But at the same time, they want to make sure that the product they produce, being a car, being paper, etc., is really becoming a better product. And at the same time, ultimately, it’s to reduce their total operating cost,” he says of the issues they face. “It’s really a ‘virtuous cycle’ with less water, better results and much lower operating cost – everyone wins. Because ultimately, our customers want to be good corporate citizens, and to do something for the community.”

The solution to solving these problems more efficiently was by incorporating Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform which allows Nalco Water to process water management data at a much faster rate and larger size.

Beck explains how Azure has positively affected Ecolab. “Suddenly, complexity and size are no longer barriers,” he reveals. “We can capture any data, anywhere, and transmit that information around the world very rapidly. We can now harness the power of this platform to serve many more customers, measuring many more flows at many more plants than we could even conceive of in the past.”

President of Microsoft North America, Judson Althoff says of her company’s involvement. “Our mission at Microsoft is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more,” she says, paraphrasing their Windows 10 marketing slogan, “Do More”, “This will come to life in a powerful way through our collaboration with Ecolab. We’re excited to assist one of the world’s leading water treatment technology and service providers in creating solutions that preserve our world’s most precious natural resources.”

Microsoft has a strong history of assisting environmental programs around the world. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s current CEO, has even talked publically about environmental sustainability several times.