Walmart Supplier Toolkit · Water

How much water does it take to produce a single unit?

The Water Use Efficiency Index turns that question into one number you can compare. Enter your water withdrawal and your production for the same period, and see where you sit: a single site measured against Best-in-Class Location, or your whole enterprise measured against Best-in-Class Enterprise.

Water Use Efficiency [ Volume of freshwater withdrawal ] [ Unit of production output ]

Total volume of freshwater withdrawal for on-site production activities per unit of production output. Units of measure are unique and relevant to each segment.

Step 1 Your segment

Which of these describes your facility?

Cost of water $USD / m³

US average for water in and out. Change it if you know your own rate.

Cost of natural gas $USD / therm

Cost of electricity $USD / kWh

Used for the energy and emissions savings. Ecolab is supplying the conversion factors and the default rates.

Step 2 Enter your usage

Your numbers

(use same time period for water and production below – 12 month time period suggested)

Select scope of water usage and production volume

Water use

Production

Your Water Use Efficiency score

0.00

Direction for Entering Your Inputs

Select the scope for your analysis. Are you considering the water usage and production volume across one individual site, or does the analysis consider total water usage and production across all facilities of a certain type within your enterprise?
Add up every freshwater source you withdrew from over a consistent time period (12-month period suggested): municipal supply, groundwater wells, surface water. Use meter readings or utility invoices instead of estimates for better accuracy.
Sum your total production output over the same period (12-month period suggested), in the unit shown above. Be careful to use the same time period. For instance, do not mix a year of water usage with a month of production.
Do not net out discharge or reuse. The score measures what you withdrew, not what you consumed.
Convert first if your internal units differ. Mismatched units are the most common cause of a misleading result.
Please enter your utility costs. Default values for US averages will be used unless overridden.

Your result

Your plant against the benchmark bands


Band	Value
Best-in-Class (Location)
Best-in-Class (Enterprise)
Sector Range, above this is laggard
Your plant

Lower is better. The further left the marker sits, the less water it takes to make one unit. Moving into Best-in-class ranges on the Water Use Efficiency Index (denoted by the blue bands) helps enterprises reduce operating costs, strengthen water resilience, and demonstrate industry leadership by maximizing the value created from every unit of water consumed.

Opportunity savings

Water saved

Cost savings

Best-in-Class Location represents the minimum achievable volume of freshwater withdrawn per unit of production output for a specific segment based on operational water performance achieved at leading production locations.

Best-in-Class Enterprise represents industry-leading performance in enterprise-level water use efficiency among segment peers.

Benchmark ranges are intended as directional guidance and are based on available industry benchmarks where applicable. Where established benchmarks are unavailable, ranges may be derived from various sources such as statistical analysis of publicly available industry data, industry trade groups, third party databases, sustainability reporting, technical industry knowledge, or other relevant sources. Results may vary due to differences in data quality, scope, reporting boundaries, sample size, and methodological assumptions.

Now what · your plant

Where that water is going.

Point at a number on the plant for a preview. Click any number or area to open it.

Tap an area to open it.

Areas in this plant

Take it further

Want a closer look at any of these?

What you entered

Segment: —
Measured as: —
Your Water Use Efficiency score: —
Status: —
Gap to best-in-class: —

Benchmark ranges are intended as directional guidance and are based on available industry benchmarks where applicable. Where established benchmarks are unavailable, ranges may be derived from various sources such as statistical analysis of publicly available industry data, industry trade groups, third party databases, sustainability reporting, technical industry knowledge, or other relevant sources. Results may vary due to differences in data quality, scope, reporting boundaries, sample size, and methodological assumptions.

Benchmarks draw on Ecolab operational data and CDP water disclosures. Some values are illustrative and are refined as segment data matures. This is directional benchmarking, not a certified performance claim.