Blog
Water in manufacturing
How we’re working to improve water stewardship across our manufacturing sites
13 Mar 2025
4 min
Water is a precious resource and plays a significant role in the way we farm and the way we operate our manufacturing sites. As a shared resource, how we use and process water across our manufacturing operations can have an environmental impact on the health of local freshwater, groundwater and marine systems. We’re committed to playing our part to mitigate our impacts on water quality while maintaining water security for both our communities and operations.
How we use and process water
As part of our manufacturing processes and cleaning procedures, water is used then processed as wastewater. We can then treat this wastewater to minimise milk residue which reduces the amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and other organic components in the water. Each manufacturing site has unique requirements for wastewater treatment to meet regional and environmental standards. We employ best practice technologies to clarify and clean the wastewater before either irrigating it onto land or discharging it in accordance with our consents. Processes can include dissolved air filtration (DAF) plants, which clarifies wastewater by removing suspended oils or solids by dissolving air under pressure, and biological treatment plants, which use bacteria and other microorganisms to clean the water.
What we are doing to improve water stewardship
Our New Zealand manufacturing sites are prioritising the efficiency of how we use and process water, taking steps to make sure our plants are operating as effectively as possible with limited impact on the environment. We are continuing to improve our wastewater treatment processes and invest in upgrades to our wastewater treatment facilities.
In addition to treating processed wastewater, we’ve developed several initiatives to reduce water use as well as continuing to look at the most responsible ways to take care of any excess water from our manufacturing processes.
Our goal is to mitigate impacts to water quality and ensure compliance with environmental standards by investing in advanced wastewater treatment technologies. By doing so, we aim to play our part in supporting the protection of our natural resources, support more sustainable practices, and meet regional and national consenting requirements. We’re working towards a 15% reduction in water take across Fonterra manufacturing sites by FY30 from a FY18 base year.
Our progress so far
In 2021, our Maungaturoto site began to reduce its water usage by up to 25% in a first of its kind for Fonterra. Water extracted from milk is directed and filtered through a natural wetland before being treated and re-used onsite.
In 2023, we began outlining Water Improvement Plans (WIP) for each manufacturing site. A WIP is a long-term plan, designed to enhance water security and quality, whilst reducing our water footprint.
By July 2024, all 45 global manufacturing sites had a WIP in place, detailing water flow from source water, through pre-treatment, to use and reuse on to wastewater treatment and processing.
In 2024, we completed a project at our Edendale site to address water shortages in the area. A new water system and filtration plant was installed, turning water extracted from milk into potable water than can be used on site. This reduces the needs to withdraw fresh water from local community water sources.
We’ve seen a 12.4% reduction in absolute water use across our manufacturing sites between FY18 and FY24. This means we’re using about 5,990,000m3 less water this year at our sites than six years ago.1
Water stewardship is integral to our operations and sustainability goals. By prioritising water efficiency and investing in advanced wastewater treatment technologies, we are committed to reducing our environmental impact and playing our part toward water security for our communities and operations. Our ongoing efforts and initiatives reflect our dedication to supporting the protection of this precious resource and sustainable practices across all our manufacturing sites.
1Comparison is on a like-for-like basis, and includes adjustments for acquisitions and divestments.
