Ford Sets New Target to Drive Down Water Use

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Ford Sets New Target to Drive Down Water Use

Car maker announces a new goal to cut water use per vehicle by 72 per cent in the next four years, compared with 2000.

J1v5PfH.jpgFord has announced a new goal to slash the water used to produce each of its cars by nearly three quarters over the next four years, compared to 2000 levels.

The American car maker said  that it plans to reduce water-per-vehicle usage by 72 per cent by 2020 by rolling out real-time water metering technologies and new manufacturing techniques. 

"With many of our plants located in water-stressed regions around the globe, we're focused on responsible water stewardship in our operations," said Bruce Hettle, group vice president of global manufacturing and labour affairs, in a statement.

"We aim to ensure a stable water supply for our facilities, while working with local communities to help ensure their needs are met."

Ford already met its previous target to cut water-per-vehicle usage by 30 per cent by 2015 compared with a 2009 baseline two years early, and has continued to cut water use since then.

"We recognise water is a critical resource, so we established an aggressive 2020 target, building on our successful reduction efforts to date," said Andrew Hobbs, director of Ford's environmental quality office, in a statement. "We are exploring innovative ways to reduce our footprint, starting with our aspirational goal of zero potable water use in our manufacturing processes."

So far these have included new technologies such as its "three-wet paint process" and minimum quantity lubrication, which the firm said has saved hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each year. It is also deploying real-time water metering in a bid to aggressively manage water use, and conducts ongoing water assessments.

Ford has already set an ultimate goal of zero water withdrawal for its manufacturing processes. The firm is one of just eight companies to have earned an "A" rating from climate disclosure agency CDP for actions to conserve water.

Source: Business Green

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