Intel Zeroes In on Net-Positive Water Ambitions

Intel claims to be 99% of the way toward its goal of net-positive water use by 2030, thanks to a combination of water conservation, internal management, and restoration projects. Intel claims to be 99% of the way toward its goal of net-positive water use by 2030, thanks to a combination of water conservation, internal management, and restoration projects. In the United States, Costa Rica, and India, the chipmaker said its operations are officially net positive in terms of Intel’s water use, meaning it restores and returns more freshwater to the natural environment than what it consumes. Water is a crucial component in the operation of Intel’s factories. It’s used in the manufacturing processes that produce data center tech and evaporative cooling towers, for example. In 2020, Intel said it used 16 billion gallons of freshwater, reclaimed water, and desalinated water, but as a result of internal water management strategies was able to return 13 billion gallons of water to surrounding communities. Intel Chief Sustainability Officer Todd Brady says the chipmaker was the first technology company to set targets around water restoration and noted the company was motivated by more than reducing the cost of the its water bills. “It’s exciting to share that we’ve reached net-positive water in three countries, through strong partnerships with environmental nonprofits and local governments, and through our water stewardship investments. We are not stopping here – now we are focused on reaching net-positive water in the remaining locations where we operate,” Brady said in a statement. While Intel does purchase freshwater and reclaimed water from utilities, it also leans on desalinated seawater, on-site wells, and rainwater collection. Some of the water the company buys is lost due to irrigation or evaporation, but the chipmaker hopes its internal water conservation efforts can balance the equation. Intel last year was able to save 9.3 billion gallons of water — a 114% increase from the previous two years — due to internal water conservation strategies like improving manufacturing efficiency and on-site water treatment plants. Those on-site water reclamation plants treat and reuse water within Intel’s cooling towers and scrubbers, increasing water reuse and reducing strain on freshwater resources. There’s very little Intel can do about water lost in irrigation or evaporation. This is where external water restoration efforts come into play to fill in that gap, according to the company. The chipmaker’s restoration projects focus on the watersheds directly impacted by its operations and vary from traditional conservation to influencing local economies in the hopes of leaving long-term impacts. In Arizona, Intel says it restored 890 million gallons of water to local watersheds last year.