Environment

Nestlé Waters North America Celebrates World Water Day 2017

Mar 23, 2017 5:30 PM ET
Campaign: Nestlé in the U.S.: Healthy Planet

On March 22, Nestlé companies around the world celebrated World Water Day, an observance created by the United Nations (UN) in 1993 to start a global conversation around water. For over 20 years, millions of people around the world have marked the occasion by participating in local events to help educate communities about sustainable water use and water stewardship. Some 4,000 Nestlé employees globally have helped educate more than 100,000 children as part of this important initiative.

According to the UN, over 80 percent of the world's wastewater flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused – polluting the environment, and losing valuable nutrients and other recoverable materials in the process. This year's theme, 'Why waste water?' is about reducing and reusing water, something we do here everyday at Nestlé Waters.

Our business relies on clean, abundant sources of water, which is why we are on a continuous journey to minimize the environmental impact of our operations by increasing efficiencies in our bottle filling process, and by reducing our use of water overall. We also actively seek out new ways and innovative technologies to reduce our impact, such as using reclaimed water for cleaning and cooling in our bottling plants in California. Some of our plants have also adopted practices that benefit our neighbors and the environment, such as those that use reclaimed water for spray irrigation.

At Nestlé Waters, we are proud water stewards every day, but World Water Day allows us to showcase our passion and expertise for the benefit of all. In past years, we have worked with Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) to host educational events for schoolchildren at our locations across the country. This year, Nestlé Waters employees will once again participate in a variety of events, on and around World Water Day, to help educate and create the next generation of water stewards.

Find out what employees of Nestlé Waters North America are doing to celebrate World Water Day near you:

California

Los Angeles

  • On March 2nd, employees participated in "Career Day" at Aurora Elementary. Zone Sales Development Manager Rob Griffith and other Nestlé Waters employees also provided water education to 150 local students.

Cabazon

  • Employees will partner with Project WET to conduct water stewardship activities with 5th grade classes at Cabazon Elementary School.

Connecticut

Stamford

  • Employees will host over 100 students for the Make a Splash Water Festival with 5th and 6th grade students from Veterans Park Elementary School in Ridgefield, and Trailblazers Academy in Stamford.

Florida

CRYSTAL SPRINGS PRESERVE, FL: PROJECTWET MAKE A SPLASH FESTIVAL

Madison Blue

  • On March 18th, the Madison Blue team will participate in ECO-Day, hosted by the North Florida Springs Alliance. Volunteers will help perform needed repairs and maintenance to help preserve Madison Blue Springs.

Zephyrhills

  • Students from Durant High School will visit Crystal Springs Preserve on World Water Day to learn about water management and reuse.

Illinois

Chicago

  • The Chicago team has water education activities planned with Project WET at the Boys and Girls Club (Club One), for over 200 children, ages five and up.

Maine

  • Employees will be in local classrooms conducting their Brookie Buddies: Water, Fish and ME program. The water stewardship and conservation program runs from January through May in select classrooms around the state.

Michigan

Northbrook

  • The Northbrook team will conduct a water stewardship presentation titled, "Lake Michigan and You" for Wauwatosa and Northbrook employees.

Stanwood

  • The Stanwood team will participate in two Adopt-a-Highway events in April, as well as a water education event with Project WET in May.

Pennsylvania

  • Employees will participate in the Lehigh Valley Water Suppliers' HydroMania Festival on May 11th, and the Lehigh County Envirothon on May 9th and 11th. The team will also host a Trout in the Classroom Release Day in April/May.

South Carolina

  • The McBee team plans to participate in a litter clean-up event at the Carolina Sandhill's National Wildlife Refuge in Chesterfield County.

Texas

Houston

Dallas & Coppell

  • The Dallas and Coppell teams will partner to host a water education festival with a local school in late March.

In Canada, Nestlé Waters' affiliate, Nestlé Waters Canada, will host local students in Ontario for a plant visit and in-house water stewardship and education presentations.