Nissan's Barcelona plant cuts per car water use by over 50% since 1998

Although the situation has improved in the recent weeks, Barcelona, Spain and its metro area is facing a severe drought, with water reserves that aren't expect to last until the end of the summer. The local governments made a plea to industries to reduce water consumption and Nissan, which has a plant in Barcelona's Zona Franca district and very close to the river Llobregat, is heeding the call.

Thanks to reusing water, the plant is expected to save 21.6 million liters of water in 2008 - a 20 percent improvement from 2007 figures. The main savings came from the paint section, where water is filtered and reused. This not only saves the precious liquid, but generates less waste water to be treated at the final filters before reaching the river and reduces electricity consumption from water pumps and the final treatment. Nissan claims that each car needs 51.5 percent less water to be produced than in 1998.

[Source: Nissan España]