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Lean & Water Toolkit: Contents and Acknowledgements

  • Table of Contents
    • Boxes
    • Figures
    • Tables
  • Acknowledgements

Table of Contents

  • Executive Summary
  • Preface
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
    • Importance of Water to Industry
    • Benefits of Addressing Water with Lean
    • Getting Started with Lean and Water 
  • Chapter 2: Water Use and Water Waste at Industrial Facilities
    • Definition of Water Waste
    • Industrial Water Use
    • Water End Uses: How Water Is Used at Facilities
    • Measuring Facility Water Use: Metering and Submetering
    • Costs of Water Waste
  • Chapter 3: Finding Water Waste on the Factory Floor
    • Water Gemba Walks 
    • Developing a Water Balance
    • Water Waste and Value Stream Mapping
    • Root Cause Analysis
  • Chapter 4: Lean and Water Efficiency Improvement Strategies
    • Kaizen Events and Just-Do-Its to Reduce Water Use
    • Integrate Water Efficiency into Everyday Lean Practices
    • Lean and Water Applications for Facility Operations and Support Processes
  • Chapter 5: Lean and Water Beyond the Factory Floor
    • Lean and Water Efforts in Your Supply Chain
    • Engaging with the Community
    • Lean Product Design
  • Chapter 6: Conclusion
    • Your Lean and Water Journey
    • Concluding Thoughts
  • Appendix A: Water Efficiency Resources and Technical Assistance Providers
  • Appendix B: Water Cost Calculator
  • Appendix C: Water Unit Conversions and Calculations
  • Appendix D: Water Efficiency Opportunity Checklist
  • Appendix E: Glossary of Water Terms

Boxes

  • Key Benefits of Addressing Water with Lean (Box 1)
  • Example Results From Lean and Water Efforts (Box 2)
  • Learning to See Water Waste and Costs (Box 3)
  • Types of Water-Related Business Risks (Box 4)
  • Water Metrics (Box 5)
  • Water-Intensive Industries (Box 6)
  • Common Costs Associated with Water Use (Box 7)
  • Steps to Take During a Gemba Walk (Box 8)
  • Examples of Water Gemba Walk Success (Box 9)
  • Information to Collect for a Water Balance (Box 10)
  • Water Footprinting Tips (Box 11)
  • Asking Why Five Times (Box 12)
  • Key Water-Efficiency Questions (Box 13)
  • Water Kaizen Event Examples (Box 14)
  • Waterless Cleaning of Gatorade® Bottles (Box 15)
  • Frito-Lay: Engaging Employees in Water Efficiency (Box 16)
  • Water-Efficient Cleaning Strategies (Box 17)
  • Proactive Maintenance Tips to Reduce Water Use (Box 18)
  • Questions to Identify Water-Savings Opportunities in Facility Operations and Support Processes (Box 19)
  • Dubois Chemical and Steelcase: An Innovative Lean Water Supplier Partnership (Box 20)
  • Green Suppliers Network Lean and Water Successes (Box 21)
  • Levi Strauss & Co. and the Better Cotton Initiative (Box 22)
  • PepsiCo’s Positive Water Balance Project in India (Box 23)
  • Examples of Water Conservation through Product Design (Box 24)

Figures

  • Figure 1: Impact-Difficulty Matrix
  • Figure 2: Lean and Water Implementation Strategies
  • Figure 3: Water Scarcity Map of the World
  • Figure 4: Breakdown of Water Uses in Two Industries
  • Figure 5: Example Water End Uses at an Industrial Facility
  • Figure 6: Portable Water Meter
  • Figure 7: Costs Associated with Water Use
  • Figure 8: Typical Water Balance Calculation
  • Figure 9: Simplified Elements of a Water Balance
  • Figure 10: Adding Water Use to Value Stream Map Process Box
  • Figure 11: Value Stream Map Incorporating Water Use Metrics
  • Figure 12: Process Boxes Showing Water Waste
  • Figure 13: Water Inputs and Outputs Identified on a Value Stream Map 
  • Figure 14: Fishbone Diagram of Excessive Water Use 
  • Figure 15: Five Water-Savings Strategies
  • Figure 16: Sign to Encourage Water Conservation
  • Figure 17: Dual Flush Toilet Visual Control
  • Figure 18: Six Pillars of 6S (5S + Safety)

Tables

  • Table 1: Typical Water Use Per Ton of Product
  • Table 2: High-Impact Water Use Sectors
  • Table 3: Costs Associated with Water Used in an Industrial Process
  • Table 4: Key Areas to Check During a Water Gemba Walk
  • Table 5: Example Water Balance Summary
  • Table 6: Table for Evaluating Water Reuse Potential
  • Table 7: Methods Used in Lean Design
  • Table 8: Questions to Ask During Lean Product Design

Acknowledgments

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is grateful for the valuable assistance of the organizations and individuals who helped develop this toolkit and who shared experiences, tools, and techniques for integrating Lean manufacturing and water efficiency. EPA’s Office of Policy sponsored and led the development of this toolkit, while EPA’s Office of Water provided considerable input.

This toolkit has benefited from the collective expertise and ideas of many individuals. In particular, EPA would like to thank the following individuals for their thoughtful contributions:

  • Michael Abouezzi, Senior Director, Lean Six Sigma and Total Productive Maintenance, PepsiCo
  • Barruch Ben-Zekry, Manager of Environmental Sustainability for Operations, Levi Strauss & Co.
  • Scott Butler, Vice President of Operations and Technical Services, Del Monte Foods
  • Lynn Coleman, Environmental Engineer, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction Program, Washington State Department of Ecology
  • Rob Currie, Director, Environment, Health and Safety, Baxter International
  • Michelle Gaither, Technical Research Lead, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center
  • Amy Goldman, Director, Global Environmental Management Initiative
  • Reza Hosseini, Manager of Environmental Site and Compliance Assessment, Levi Strauss & Co.
  • Bruce Karas, Director, Sustainability, Environmental and Safety, Coca-Cola North America
  • Deborah Kennedy, Senior Principal Engineer, Resource Conservation, PepsiCo
  • Robert ter Kuile, Senior Director, Environmental Sustainability, Global Public Policy, PepsiCo
  • Jessica McGlyn, Director, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, U.S. Inc.
  • Rob Meyers, Director, Environmental Sustainability, Global Operations, PepsiCo
  • John Radtke, Water Resource Manager, Coca-Cola North America
  • Jason Schulist, Director of Program Office, DTE Energy
  • Mike Sklar, Continuous Improvement Manager, DTE Energy
  • Charles Souders, Manager, Environmental Compliance, Johnson & Johnson/McNeil Consumer Healthcare
  • David Walker, Senior Director, Environmental Sustainability, PepsiCo

This toolkit was prepared for EPA by Ross & Associates Environmental Consulting, Ltd. in association with Industrial Economics, Inc. (EPA Contract # EP-W-10-002).

Lean & Water Toolkit

Download a pdf version HERE.

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Last updated on August 20, 2024
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