Water

Not only is water the primary ingredient in our products, and one of the fastest-growing beverage categories in our industry, it is also used in our production process for purifying, rinsing, cleaning and cooling. CCE is aware of our responsibility to conserve this critical natural resource and we are taking steps to ensure we are using it in the most efficient way possible.

The Coca-Cola Global Water Initiative
Through the Coca-Cola Environmental Council, the Coca-Cola system has identified water as a global environmental priority. In 2004, the Coca-Cola Global Water Initiative was launched to ensure our system’s responsible use of water, as well as our focus on managing water as a sustainable community resource.

As a first step, the system undertook a comprehensive analysis of water risks in every Coca-Cola bottling facility, involving more than 840 locations around the world. CCE plants participated by studying water resources in all of our localities. We measured our local capacity to maximize these resources to meet user needs, compliance with internal and external standards, costs associated with water usage, and the social and competitive context. These studies will be finalized in 2006, providing the basis for our future water programs.

Improving Our Water Efficiency
Our first priority is to improve the efficiency with which we use water. We source from ground water, surface water, wells, lakes and rivers, and through publicly- and privately-owned water companies. Our efficiency of usage is measured by comparing the amount of water we use to the amount of product we produce.

In 2005, CCE plants used a total of 11.4 billion liters of water, an 11 percent increase over 2004. Increased usage volume was attributable to higher production. Our company-wide water-use ratio for 2005 was an average of 1.85 liters to produce one liter of beverage, compared to 1.86 per liter of product in 2004 – a 0.21 percent improvement.

We will continue striving to improve our water efficiency, however, there are natural limits imposed by other considerations. For example, the difference between the amount of water used and beverage produced is the water used to clean bottles, filling lines, mixing tanks and plants. We are minimizing this – for example, converting water rinsers to air where economically feasible – while recognizing that product quality and safety are paramount. In addition, our water usage may fluctuate as our portfolio becomes more diversified, since some types of beverages and packages inherently require more water to produce than others.

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