Frito-Lay honored by EPA as a water efficiency leader

Frito-Lay Inc. and Lackland Air Force Base were among six winners recently recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency for their efforts in reducing, reusing and recycling water.

The Plano, Texas, snack food maker earned the 2007 Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) award for cutting water consumption per pound of product by 39 percent at its 33 facilities since 1999. Lackland AFB in San Antonio won its WEL award for its comprehensive water conservation measures and purchases of recycled wastewater for use on the base. Winners of the WEL awards were chosen by a panel of national water experts and based on three criteria: leadership, innovation and water saved.

“Every drop counts when it comes to conserving water,” said EPA regional administrator Richard E. Greene. “EPA is proud to recognize Frito-Lay, Lackland Air Force Base and this year’s other winners for their efforts to protect and preserve this valuable resource.”

The WEL Awards help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, which is critical to the growing U.S. economy and quality of life. Due to demographic shifts, increased demand, and aging water infrastructure, there is a national need for more efficient use of our water resources. EPA recognizes this need and has developed the WEL Awards in addition to other initiatives such as a product labelling under the WaterSense program and a national organization to foster water efficiency.

The awards were announced December 3 in San Antonio by Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water.

Other winners of the 2007 WEL Awards include: Intel Corporation, Ocotillo Campus (Chandler, Ariz.); Santa Clara Valley Water District (San Jose, Calif.); The Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center at the University of Louisville (Louisville, Ky.); and Allan Dietemann, Seattle Public Utilities (Seattle, Wash.)

More information on water efficiency and the WaterSense program is available at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm.

To learn more about activities in EPA Region 6, visit http://www.epa.gov/region6.

EPA audio file is available at: http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio120307_wel.