At Hanesbrands’ El Salvador Textiles facility in San Juan Opico, we use fresh water in the dyeing and finishing process, in boilers and steam equipment, and in HVAC systems. Not only is fresh water a limited natural resource, but there are high energy and treatment costs from heating much of the water used at the facility.

In late 2008, facility managers assembled a team to examine the consumption of treated/softened water, with a target of reducing use by 317,000 gallons per day. The team employed lean process engineering methods to identify places where water was being wasted, including leaking pipes, valves, and fittings; inadequate flow or level controls; and lax usage procedures. The team corrected deficiencies in equipment, implemented control changes, and reworked some portions of the pipe system.

The changes reduced the facility’s water draw by nearly 334,000 gallons per day, exceeding the team’s goal and saving approximately $340,000 per year. Half of the savings comes from energy and treatment reductions during pumping and the other half from reductions in thermal process heating. The facility was able to boost production without increasing water use.

The nearby El Salvador Socks facility reuses water from industrial processes. Water from the cooling tower is reused in toilets, with an estimated savings of 2.3 million gallons per year. The facility also captures storm water in a 3.5 million-gallon detention basin. The basin prevents erosion, while the water is held in reserve for fire protection.