Water is one of Toyota Motor North America’s four environmental sustainability focus areas. Our actions today to protect this precious resource create lasting value and build a better tomorrow for us and for the planet.
Water is at the heart of every aspect of human development. We need water to nourish us, sustain the natural world, produce food and energy, and propel economic growth.
But threats to water availability are increasing. Growth in global population— expected to reach 9.8 billion people by 2050 — puts a strain on this already stressed resource. According to the United Nations World Water Development Report 2018, demand for fresh water has increased by a factor of six over the past 100 years and continues to grow steadily at a rate of about 1% per year. By 2050, global water demand will be 30% higher than today and up to 3 billion people could be living in potentially severely water-scarce areas. In the United States alone, 40 of 50 state water managers expect shortages in some portion of their states over the next 10 years.
At the same time, water quality is also deteriorating. Globally, over 80% of wastewater flows back into the environment without being treated or reused.
Rising demand for water and deteriorating water quality threaten the safety and health of people and impact the balance of nature. Businesses are expected to play a significant role in achieving the bold and transformative steps urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. Toyota is committed to doing our part to ensure sustainable water use. That's why Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) named "Water" as one of our four environmental sustainability focus areas.
Here in North America, our water strategy emphasizes water stewardship, defined as use of water that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder-inclusive process that involves site- and watershed-based actions. Our projects focus on:
Team members are always on the lookout for ways to conserve water. The more water we recycle and reuse, the less we have to bring in from fresh water sources. This is especially important in areas of water stress, where water isn't always readily available. We've installed reverse osmosis systems and membrane bio reactors and implemented a variety of projects to get more out of every drop.
Protecting water quality is a key component of Toyota's approach to water stewardship. Some of our sites discharge wastewater, which we monitor and treat to meet local, state and federal regulations and to avoid negatively impacting water bodies.
TMNA’s approach to water stewardship emphasizes conserving water, protecting watersheds, and raising awareness in our communities about the importance of sustainable water management.
Toyota recognizes the importance of water and it is one of our four environmental sustainability focus areas. Our water strategy emphasizes water stewardship and supports the UN Sustainable Development Goal #6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.
Team members are always on the lookout for ways to save water. The more water we recycle and reuse, the less we have to bring in from fresh water sources. This is especially important in areas of water stress, where water isn't always readily available.
TMMBC is the first Toyota plant in North America to use a membrane bio reactor (MBR). The MBR and RO system helps ensure the plant will have sufficient water to operate, even though water availability is limited in the area.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been engaging in new research to explore how oxbow lakes can help restore the rich biological diversity in southwest Indiana and the role of oxbow lakes in its freshwater conservation strategies. Support from Toyota Indiana has allowed TNC to delve into this more deeply.
Toyota supports community efforts to educate individuals and families about water conservation and the importance of protecting water quality. These activities help scale up conservation efforts and make positive outcomes more impactful.
The State of Baja California in Mexico exports around 150 million cubic meters of water (40,000 million gallons) each year from the Colorado River to the cities of Tecate and Tijuana, and in recent years to Rosarito and Ensenada. The agricultural sector consumes the majority of this water, reducing water available for people and nature in the Colorado River Delta.
To address these challenges, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works with local partners, cities and the agricultural sector, aiming to secure sufficient and reliable water supplies for people and nature. TNC seeks to permanently protect over 16,100 acres of wetlands along the Hardy River, the lower Colorado River and the Colorado River Estuary.
TMNA is providing $100,000 to TNC in FY2023 to support activities to acquire, secure and monitor the delivery of water volume for environmental restoration in the Colorado River Delta. Water volume is secured from water savings in the Mexicali Valley agricultural sector from water shepherding, crop switching or irrigation technification.
With Toyota’s support, TNC succeeded in securing water to help restore flow into the Hardy River. In July 2022, TNC delivered 132 million gallons, which doubled the flow of the river for a few weeks.
Everyone can do their part to protect water-related ecosystems.
Organize or participate in a cleanup project for rivers and oceans.
Use less water by taking short showers instead of baths.
Make a donation to an organization that supports water sanitation in lower income countries. Any donation, big or small, can make a difference.
