Mexican companies commit to using water responsibly

Mexico City, 21 Mar Responsible water use is one of the greatest challenges in Mexico, according to companies and institutions on Monday, on the occasion of World Water Day, which is celebrated every March 22. Currently, between 12.5 and 15 million Mexicans do not have access to drinking water in Mexico, according to data from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, which represents approximately 10% of the population. According to the National Water Commission (CONAGUA), the agricultural sector accounts for 76 per cent of water use, 14.4 per cent is for domestic use, 4.7 per cent of thermal power plants and 3 per cent of industrial use, while the rest is allocated to services and the agro-industrial sector. Therefore, promoting access to clean water and sanitation is fundamental to achieving the well-being and development of society, according to the Sustainable Development Goals, embodied in the 2030 Agenda. In this context, the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry (IMCC) on Monday reiterated its commitment to improve water security where it is most needed: in communities and in nature through different initiatives such as treating one hundred percent of industrial waters derived from its production. So far, it has managed to reduce water consumption in its bottling plants by 36%, while actively working to return to nature 100% of the water it uses in the production of its products. IMCC recalled that for a decade it has been undertaking strategies to reaffirm its commitment to taking care of water and from 2004 to 2019 it increased the efficiency of water use of its production plants by 30% and by 2025 it wants to increase it by 15% more by 2025. It also aims to reduce from 1.56 liters of water per liter of beverage produced to 1.41 liters of water/each liter of product, positioning it as one of the most efficient industries in the food and beverage sector. WETLANDS For every liter of drink produced at IMCC plants, another liter is sought to return to nature and communities through projects such as nature-based wetlands, reforestation, watershed management and conservation, among others. During 2021, IMCC invested 170 million pesos (8.5 million dollars) for the construction of 4 nature-based wetlands with the capacity to return an average of 3 to 5 million liters of clean water per day each. The first of these was the one inaugurated in 2021 in Cihuatlán (Jalisco), which has the capacity to process urban waters of communities, using ornamental plants for the elimination of bacteria and odors, in a sustainable process that integrates environmentally friendly technologies. Water derived from human, sanitary and washing activities reaches the wetland and is filtered to retain solids that are channeled for proper treatment. The water then goes through a process with ornamental plants that reproduce naturally and these remove bacteria and odors from the water. It is then filtered and disinfected again through exposure to ultraviolet light, obtaining clean water so that it can be used in productive projects for the community such as nursery irrigation. REFORESTATION Another initiative promoted by IMCC is reforestation, which contributes to the ecological restoration of key sites for the recharge of aquifers with the aim of returning more than 100% of the water used in products and contributing to the generation of more than 115,000 jobs. Likewise, more than 35 water collection pots have been installed for communities, mainly to be used in domestic services, productive activities such as agriculture and livestock, as well as support in the irrigation of community nurseries. Another initiative promoted by IMCC is the installation of around 500 community cisterns for the supply of water for domestic use, irrigation of forest areas and orchards.