Ford Asia Pacific and Africa: Water

For many years, we have demonstrated our commitment to water issues primarily through our own operations, focusing on water efficiency, effluent quality and water reuse. We also are committed to moving beyond our own fences to address water issues within our communities of operation. We are working with stakeholders to better understand issues around water accessibility and sanitation, in water-stressed communities especially.

In the Asia Pacific and Africa (APA) region, Ford India’s Chennai manufacturing facility has been able to conserve water by adopting various water conservation methods and implementing state-of-the-art systems such as a Membrane Bio Reactor and a Zero Liquid Discharge system. The Chennai plant recycles 100 percent of its wastewater and is also “Best in Ford” in terms of water use per vehicle. At our manufacturing plant under construction in Sanand, Gujarat (India), the focus is already on becoming a zero-water-discharge site. One hundred percent of the wastewater generated will be treated on-site and re-used in the production process or for irrigation of the site’s green spaces.

In China, the two vehicle assembly plants operating in Chongqing are recycling considerable amounts of wastewater every day. The plant environmental teams closely monitor water usage and report any increases to plant management. This allows plant personnel to quickly investigate and correct any water losses as well as implement continuous improvement programs. In addition, both plants have invested in advanced water treatment equipment – including physical-chemical systems, membrane biological treatment and reverse osmosis treatment – to maximize water reuse. After on-site purification, the water is reused again in vehicle production processes, significantly reducing the plant’s demand for fresh water. The average amount of water recycled at Chongqing 1 and Chongqing 2 on a daily basis is 100,000 gallons and 65,000 gallons, respectively.

We are committed to mobilizing opportunities for communities in the developing world through the provision of clean water. Specifically, we’re investing in community water stewardship projects around the world, especially in areas where access to potable water is limited. Projects vary by location. In Cambodia, Ford and our long-time partner, RM Asia, provided $70,000 to construct dozens of community water wells in villages where residents lack access to clean, potable water. The new wells, which are expected to be completed by the end of 2013, will also provide residents with sufficient water supplies to irrigate their fields. Ford India recently helped to refurbish two schools in villages near our plant in Maraimalai Nagar, a suburb of Chennai. The refurbishment included new sanitation facilities and drinking water fountains.

Our Ford Motor Company Volunteer Corps, meanwhile, is placing a priority on water-based community projects during our Global Week of Caring and Accelerated Action Days. In 2012, the Ford Fund supported 19 water-related projects in China, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, India, Germany and South Africa. In arid southwest China, 60 Ford employees from Nanjing teamed up with The Amity Foundation to help eight families build individual water cellars to capture water in the rainy season. In Indonesia, Ford employees helped to install a machine that processes salt water into clean, potable water for 5,000 area residents. In the Philippines, Ford volunteers helped construct water collection stations for 250 villagers.

For a discussion of our global commitment to water issues, please see the Water section.