Overlooked No More: Companies Taking Action to Improve Water Efficiency

Here are some of the warnings we hear about water regularly:

• By 2023, the UN predicts that the water demand will outstrip supply by 40 percent.
• Due to climate changes, fresh water is increasingly in short supply in drought-prone areas of the world.
• Currently, as many as two billion people endure prolonged periods without access to safe water and sanitation.

At Waterless Co., Inc., we do not dispute these challenges. What we are concerned about is the lack of attention being paid to what global companies - which use two-thirds of the world’s freshwater - are doing to address these issues.

We know that with the right strategies and commitment, we can bring about positive change when it comes to water. Take for instance the following:

Levi Strauss & Co. It is always a shock to people when they learn that making a single pair of genes consumes more than 1,000 gallons of water. Levi's is aware of this, and they are taking significant steps to reduce this water consumption.

The company started a project called Water<Less.

Using the Water<Less process, Levi's claims it will be able to reduce up to 96 percent of the freshwater typically used in making of a pair of jeans. The project is a set of over twenty techniques designed to reduce water consumption and is being used in virtually all the products made by the company.

Other pant and clothing manufacturers are taking notice. Many of the steps Levi’s is taking are being shared with these companies. This collective effort is a beacon of hope, as together, these companies will make an incredibly significant contribution to reducing water consumption long-term – what water efficiency is all about.

Intel. Some of our recent posts have discussed how much water artificial intelligence (AI) servers require. In one post, we mentioned that it takes about sixteen ounces of water—as much as in a bottle of Coke—to produce just one AI-generated email.

Now, Intel, which develops chips and computer components used in AI servers, is working to address this. Intel's operations in the United States, Costa Rica, and India are officially net-positive on water use. In those countries, Intel restores and returns more freshwater than it takes in.

According to Todd Brady, Intel's chief sustainability officer, "More than ten years ago, we began exploring how to better understand and reduce our water footprint. Five years ago, we set a public goal to restore 100% of our consumption and became the first tech company to set a companywide water restoration goal."

Further, just like Levi's, many of the steps Intel is taking are being shared with other chip manufacturers worldwide. This global effort to reduce water consumption, improve water efficiency, and become net-positive is being adopted by major corporations, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

We don't hear stories like this that often. In the future "Think Waterless" posts will address this oversight.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc., a pioneer in advancing water efficiency. Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter who discusses water conservation issues. He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com