US – In advancing PepsiCo’s ambitious effort to become Net Water Positive by 2030, PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA) and Frito-Lay North America (FLNA) have jointly committed US$3.3 million in funds toward water replenishment projects across North America.
In the Net Water Positive goal, the food and beverage giant aims at reducing absolute water use and replenishing back into the local watershed more than 100% of the water used at company-owned and third-party sites in high water-risk areas.
In the funding, PBNA has allocated US$2.1 million catalytic investment in the city of Winter Haven, Florida, to support the city to complete an interconnected wetland system, for the restoration of the historical wetland areas called the Sapphire Necklacewetlands.
The backing of the signature project of Winter Haven’s One Water Master Plan makes it possible to begin the construction of aquifer storage to recharge an average of 400,000 gallons a day of stormwater by 2025 during rain events.
It will also help in the recovery of well-system to support groundwater and wetland restorations. Project construction is expected to begin in June with completion expected by June 2025.
PepsiCo will also fully fund a US$1.2 million project to provide critical freshwater to valuable ecosystems and wildlife in Galveston Bay, a vital estuary located on the coast of southeast Texas.
The investment is part of the company’s North American Water Replenishment program, bringing together the expertise of PBNA and FLNA to scale investment and impact of water replenishment projects where facilities are co-located in water-scarce areas.
This project aims to provide an additional 2,000 acre-feet per year of water, starting this spring, for 10 consecutive years.
In partnership with Texas Water Trade, a nonprofit organization founded to build a future of clean, flowing water for all Texans, PepsiCo said the purchased water will support migratory bird habitats near Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, one of North America’s most diverse birding spots, and a pulse of fresh water into Galveston Bay, providing a haven for blue crabs, shrimp, and Rangia clams.
Meanwhile, in South Africa, PepsiCo South Africa has partnered with key stakeholders to repair water leaks in several municipalities across the country.
The PepsiCo-funded project, which involves identifying and repairing leaks, installing pressure management devices, and measurement devices to monitor the flows and savings in the target systems, aims to reduce water losses at schools and municipal water networks in the Mangaung, Mogalakwena, Polokwane, Madibeng, and Dawid Kruiper municipalities.
Nico Moloto, Corporate Affairs Director-Operations noted: “The target volume of annual water loss reduction through this project is equal to, or higher than the annual water usage of the PepsiCo facilities within the respective municipalities, so this project will help to offset the water use at our operations in these areas.”
In 2022 PepsiCo South Africa achieved a 37 percent reduction in operational water usage from a 2015 baseline.
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