SMEP Water Reuse Project: Behind the scenes with Lewys Isaac, Water Stewardship Manager

Reusing and recycling wastewater is critical in reducing the water demands of resource-intensive processes like fabric dyeing and finishing. It also plays a vital role in protecting local communities and ecosystems. Water Stewardship Manager, Lewys Isaac tells us all about Primark’s new Water Reuse and Improved Wastewater project which does exactly that.

Tell us a bit about your role at Primark?

I’m a Water Stewardship Manager at Primark. I lead our strategy to reduce our water footprint and its wider environmental impacts.

As part of our partnership with WRAP, we’ve committed to reducing the water footprint of new products by 30% by 2030. We're also supporting nature and biodiversity by prioritising action in areas with the greatest water risk like the Meghna River basin in Bangladesh.

What's this project about?

Textile production processes, like dyeing, use a lot of water and it has to be extremely pure - close to drinking water quality. Typically, that water is pulled from underground, contributing to water stress. At the same time, wastewater from these processes is often difficult to treat and can contribute to pollution if not managed properly.

This project is about changing that. Working with Fakir Knitwears, one of our suppliers, and partners Panta Rei, H&M Group, Grundfos and WaterAid, we’ve helped install technology that can purify wastewater to a high enough level that it can be safely reused, reducing the need for fresh water by up to 50%.

How did this project come about?

Before joining Primark, I worked in Bangladesh for many years and saw firsthand the water challenges that the region faces. I’d also seen how advanced wastewater treatment and water reuse technology were being more widely adopted in other parts of the world. When I joined Primark, advances in technology and energy efficiency made me think it was the right time to bridge that gap.

Our aim was to understand what level of wastewater could be recycled without introducing economic trade-offs. Fakir Knitwears shared that vision and became the host site for the innovation, with support from the wider project consortium. The UK Government’s Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution (SMEP) programme helped fund the work in part.

What impact will it have?

The recycled water system means factories like Fakir Knitwears can rely less on groundwater and significantly reduce their wastewater discharge. It’s an important step toward addressing water availability and pollution challenges, while strengthening resilience across our supply chain and helping to protect eco-systems and communities.

But we know that in isolation, this project alone won’t create widespread change. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the World Bank’s 2030 Water Resources Group to launch this initiative as part of the newly launched National Alliance for Water Reuse and Recycling. This alliance brings together global brands, suppliers, government bodies and finance institutions to scale water solutions across the textile industry in Bangladesh.

We’re proud that our project has been chosen as the Alliance’s first case study. Our role going forward will be to share insights and learnings with the wider industry to support broader adoption.

How does it link back to Primark’s wider strategy?

This project supports several of our Primark Cares commitments. It supports our water goals, helps protect biodiversity and helps us cut our carbon emissions.

As an added benefit, WaterAid carried out a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assessment at Fakir Knitwears. As a result, social standards have improved alongside environmental as workers now have better access to clean water and sanitation inside the factory.

We know that one project alone won’t fix these challenges but it’s a step in the right direction and by working with partners, we’re aiming to scale its impact more broadly across the sector.