Coca Cola targets to be water neutral by 2012

Global beverages major Coca Cola is planning to undertake a series of initiatives, including water harvesting and recycling, as part of its strategy to replenish groundwater used by the company and become water neutral by 2012.

"Our target is to neutralise all ground water usage by the company in India by the end of the current calender year and become water neutral for all products and processes by 2012," said Coca Cola India Director (Quality and Environment) Navneet Mehta at a CII summit here.

Water neutrality is a term referred to describe the ratio of ground water usage by any user vis-a-vis the quantity put back into nature.

 

He said the company had adopted various water management strategies including rainwater harvesting, water management techniques and recycling to replenish groundwater levels.

"The company has achieved a replenishment level of 82 per cent on its annual ground water usage in India so far," Mehta added.

The company is also planning to commission a study of five watershed projects this year. "We will study the results and our plan is to have such watershed projects in all our 56 plants within next five years," he added.