Water Use

A decade ago, Ford launched a water-reduction initiative and set a target of 3 percent year-over-year reductions in water use. We have exceeded this goal. From 2000 to 2009, Ford's global manufacturing operations reduced water consumption by more than 62 percent, approximately 10.5 billion gallons. We reduced global water use by approximately 16.6 percent from 2008 to 2009 alone. Per vehicle, we reduced global water use from 5.6 cubic meters per vehicle in 2008 to 5.2 cubic meters per vehicle in 2009.

In 2009, we began developing a new water strategy that addresses the impacts of our water use from both an environmental and a social perspective. To help guide and inform our approach, we signed on as a founding responder of the Carbon Disclosure Project's (CDP) Water Disclosure initiative, which launched in late 2009 to help institutional investors better understand the business risks and opportunities associated with water scarcity and related issues. The CDP's original project focused on corporate disclosures of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies, and we found our participation in that project to be very beneficial in helping us formulate our strategy for GHG reporting. We anticipate similar benefits from CDP Water Disclosure, which will provide a globally harmonized method of water reporting. For more information please see Water: More Than Just Environmental Concerns.

This new strategy, which we are currently formulating, will build on the water use reduction strategy we began 10 years ago. When we initiated our water reduction goals in 2000, many facilities had little ability to track their water usage. Ford engineers thus developed a patented Water Estimation Tool (WET), a software program that helps facilities to predict their water usage. They then paired WET with WILD (Water Ideas to Lessen Demand), a list of practical ideas for reducing water use depending on where and when use is the greatest. Our facilities made good progress for several years, meeting or exceeding the 3 percent year-over-year water-reduction goal that applied to all facilities. To encourage continued progress, Ford environmental engineers are developing "single point lessons" that document practices demonstrated to save water. These lessons are cascaded for mandatory implementation in all facilities and are included in facility business plans. Single point lessons implemented thus far include leak identification, cooling tower optimization, and vehicle water testing.

Water use at each facility is also tracked in the Global Emissions Manager database, our global emissions management and tracking system. Water use is included in GEM in a monthly tracking scorecard reviewed by senior management.

In addition, we are using an innovative new machining process, called minimum quantity lubricant (MQL) machining, to reduce water use. In MQL machining, the cutting tool is lubricated with a very small amount of oil sprayed directly on the tip of the tool in a finely atomized mist, instead of with a large quantity of coolant/water mixture. The process saves hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per year. By eliminating the coolant/water mixture, MQL machining eliminates the need to treat and dispose of an oily waste stream. The MQL process is also delivering significant benefits in energy use, waste production, quality, working conditions and costs. We have already implemented the MQL system at a number of transmission plants in the United States, UK and Europe and are planning to use it at our Craiova, Romania, and Cologne, Germany, plants as we launch the production of new engines in these facilities.

Our Cleveland Casting Plant implemented significant water-reduction actions that focus on reducing water usage in the facility's large hydraulic units and electric induction, iron-holding furnaces, which were identified as major water-using sources in the plant. The project, which began in 2008, reduced water usage by 26.8 percent in 2008 and another 35 percent in 2009. Over the course of these two years, the project has saved more than $1.2 million in city water costs alone. The plant was named the winner of Ford's 2009 Environmental Leadership Award for its innovative water-saving efforts.