The Beverage Industry & Water Resources

Water's importance to all of us cannot be understated. Because water is a critical resource in our communities, the beverage industry's stewardship over the water we use is one of our most pressing concerns. It is our responsibility to ensure that the water we use in our products and to produce our beverages is used in the most efficient manner possible.

Making More With Less: Industry Water Use

Although water is the primary ingredient in many of our beverages, the beverage industry actually uses a surprisingly small amount of water. In fact, we only use about one gallon out of every 3,300 gallons withdrawn from ground or surface water sources.   

Our industry does its part to protect water resources by practicing sound environmental policies that:

• Protect natural resources,
• Minimize effluent, or wastewater,
• Properly clean wastewater before it is released into the environment,
• Reduce water consumption by employing water recycling systems that include recycled water in the production process wherever possible,
• Help prevent groundwater contamination, and
• Enhance global water sustainability and community programs, for example:
  • Coca-Cola’s collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund in Europe on water efficiency, and the Roundabout Playpumps in Africa, which helps bring sustainable sources of water to rural areas.
  • PepsiCo China has won awards and recognition for its involvement with the Mother Water Cellar Project, which helps provide access to water to residents in dry areas of rural China.
  • Cadbury Schweppes partnered with Kuapa Kokoo, a farmer’s cooperative and the non-profit WaterAid to help cocoa farming communities in Ghana build water wells.

In 2005, the American Beverage Association convened two summits of member company experts from a full-range of disciplines to address the growing concern of global access to clean, safe and adequate supplies of water. Our member companies continue to aggressively work on these issues to ensure they are managing water resources responsibly and contributing to promote global water sustainability.