General Motors is facing water stress in four production plants in Mexico, according to information from the company itself.
This U.S. automotive company leads light vehicle production in Mexico. From January to October 2024, it produced 746,393 units. This represents a year-on-year increase of 22.2 percent.
Mexico’s government and Congress have taken action and passed regulations and standards related to water stress in recent years. The problem became more relevant in 2023, when the country experienced an atypical drought.
Water stress
In addition, General Motors ranked second in light vehicle sales in Mexico. In the first 10 months of 2024, these sales totaled 167,485 units. They were 13.4% higher than in the same period of 2023, according to Inegi data.
The following are the General Motors plants experiencing water stress:
- Ramos Arizpe.
- San Luis Potosí.
- Silao.
- Toluca.
The company calculates water consumption based on water withdrawal minus discharge volume.
In a report on its Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), General Motors stated that it continues to mitigate water risk through conservation and recycling or reuse of treated wastewater in plant processes.
The company’s operations are subject to various environmental laws. These regulate issues such as air emissions, water discharges, waste management and environmental cleanup. Some laws require responsible parties to fund remediation actions, regardless of fault, the legality of the initial discharge or ownership of the affected site. In addition, in certain cases, joint and several liability is imposed for damages related to natural resources.
To reduce the environmental impacts of its global operations, including its contribution to climate change, the company complements its compliance programs with sustainability initiatives. Its initiatives focus on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water consumption and discharge, and operational waste management.
From January to October 2024, Mexico produced 3.4 million light vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 5.5 percent.
At the same time, domestic sales of these vehicles were 1.2 million, up 10.8 percent over the same period in 2023.