Preserving Water Resources: TotalEnergies Shines the Light on Its Objectives and Actions

07/15/2024

75% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, but only 3% is fresh water(1). Preserving this resource is a major challenge for the planet, and TotalEnergies, as an industrial operator, has an important role to play. Our activities may potentially have an impact on, as well as be dependent on, freshwater resources, particularly when the activity concerned is in a water resources sensitive environment.

In response to the challenge of preserving water resources, we have set a number of targets, such as reducing by 20% our freshwater withdrawals in water-stress zones by 2030. In 2021, these regions accounted for 54% of our total freshwater withdrawals.

What is a water-stress zone?

A region is said to be in a situation of water stress when the demand for water is greater than 40% of the available resource. These are often areas where water uses compete. This is the case for densely populated urban areas, such as Western Europe.

Find out more about water stress and TotalEnergies' activities

Reducing water withdrawals at our sites

At all our priority sites in water-stress zones, we are carrying out studies to improve our water use. Examples of our standout initiatives:

  • The Antwerp platform will soon be capable of reusing wastewater from local households as a supply source, saving around 9 million cubic meters of drinking water a year.
  • One of the components of our multi-energy project in Iraq is building a seawater treatment plant with a capacity of 290 million cubic meters per year to reduce pressure on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
  • Working alongside the Qatar Environment & Energy Research Institute laboratories, we have carried out a study to identify the most effective robot for cleaning our solar panels without using water. By the end of 2024, this solution may be proposed at all our photovoltaic facilities in water-stress zones, thereby saving 300,000 cubic meters of water for an 800 MW power plant.

More examples of reducing water use at our sites

A-
Score obtained by TotalEnergies in the CDP Water questionnaire(2) for 2022, which reflects our leadership status on the subject.

Our other actions to preserve water resources at TotalEnergies

Taking action to preserve water resources at TotalEnergies also means:

  • Implementing environmentally friendly natural sanitation or recycling techniques at our sites, particularly service stations and car washes.
  • Developing innovative tools with our R&D experts.
  • In addition to leading initiatives at our sites, helping provide drinking water and sanitation facilities for local populations to contribute to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.

All our actions to preserve water resources (PDF)

(1)Source: United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
(2)The main indicator for this report is freshwater withdrawals. For more information: https://www.cdp.net/fr/responses/19257

Further reading

Preserving water resources: our commitments and actions

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Water

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Sustainability & Climate 2024 Progress Report

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TotalEnergies, member of the CEO Water Mandate

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