We show our commitment through the thoughtful management of water use in our operations and by meaningful engagement within the communities in which we do business. We are industry leaders in helping our customers address water scarcity issues through water conservation, and we apply the same focus to our own operations.
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We seek to continuously improve our ability to track and manage our water withdrawal and discharge and to reduce our overall water consumption. We have routinely collected and reported water use data for years, and in 2023, we introduced an annual facility water utilization review to provide a deeper, more granular understanding of our water use at each of our facilities.
The facility water utilization review includes sections on domestic use, irrigation, wash and rinse tanks, coolant use and product testing, providing insights into how water is used in our facilities and where it is discharged. These reviews help us determine which improvements at our facilities could have the greatest impact on our water consumption and use. In addition, they help examine potential tradeoffs related to reductions in water use.
To continuously improve our water data and tracking, in 2023, we installed water meters at our Lumberton, NC facility. This facility is the largest water user in our portfolio due to the wash cycles our sinks undergo in production. We’ve added water meters to several of our water-intensive processes to gain more granular data and drive future projects.
We encourage associates across our organization to share their ideas and suggestions to reduce water consumption at their facilities, and in 2023, our team members at the Paso Robles, CA, facility assessed ways that we could reduce our water usage. Due to the traditional grass landscaping around the facility, we were using approximately 370,000 gallons of water annually for irrigation alone.
The team implemented a landscape remodel that focused on creating a sustainable and usable space, replacing water intensive landscaping with native plantings that would require less water. Most existing turf grass was removed and replaced by nearly an acre of native shrubs. Existing trees were left in place and protected to ensure they continue to thrive, and sprinkler systems were adjusted to use water more efficiently where it was still needed.
The project is estimated to cut annual water use at the Paso Robles plant by 60%.
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