GE CitizenshipWater Use
In May 2008, we announced our goal to reduce our freshwater consumption by 20 percent from a baseline of 2006 to 2012. During the year, we have developed tools for our sites to assess, identify, and quantify costs and benefits of implementing water reduction projects. Our first water reduction Kaizen blitz event was conducted at our Global Research Facility in Niskayuna, New York, with very favorable water reduction and cost benefits identified. We plan on using this approach at other targeted locations during the remainder of 2009 to identify more opportunities.
Since 2006, we have collected water consumption data for those sites across our businesses meeting a criterion of more than 15 million gallons annually of water consumed. Water consumption data includes water used for potable, process, and sanitary purposes as well as non-contact cooling waters (NCCWs) from freshwater sources. We adjust the data each year to reflect acquisitions and divestments.
Expert Perspective
In 2008, water use from these sources was 0.2 percent higher than our 2006 baseline. An increase in non-contact cooling water offset a 10.8 percent reduction in water use for potable, process, and sanitary purposes. This increase was due to a project at one of our largest water using sites to better quantify water use. The project, utilizing GE Sensing Ultrasonic Flow Meters, identified that water use at the site was substantially higher than originally estimated and had increased 11 percent since 2006.
As a result, we are evaluating significant reduction opportunities at this site and across all of our businesses.
See full data on water use in the EHS section of Performance Metrics.
Expert Perspective