Water usage is a fundamental element in the environmental management of manufacturing processes. For several years, the Group has been committed to the conservation of this resource through various initiatives. In particular, manufacturing sites that have adopted the World Class Manufacturing system have optimised management of the withdrawal and discharge of water through:
- detailed analysis of plant needs (in terms of both the quantity and quality of water) and of the efficiency of manufacturing processes (to reduce potential waste)
- promotion of the reuse of water in processes and reuse following treatment



In 2009, reduction in water withdrawal resulted from both lower production levels and increased efficiency in usage.
The Group also considers attention to the quality of water discharged paramount to ensure full compliance with regulatory limits. At Fiat Group Automobiles (FGA) Italian plants, discharge levels are well within the legal limits for surface water discharge: 36% lower for BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) and 64% lower for COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand). In 2010, the Group will map plants located in areas where water is a scarce resource, and defined an action plan to improve recycling and reuse at those sites.
Through plant innovations, FGA in particular has continued to achieve significant reductions in water consumption, which is down 19.8% since 2006. The recovery index - which represents the ratio of water recycled in production processes (243,120 x 103 m³/year) compared to the total water requirement (256,872 x 103 m ³ /year) - is 94.6%, indicating constant improvement over the years (up from 86.2% in 2005).