Monchique Waters – Reducing our environmental footprint

Sociedade de Água de Monchique, SA has been exploiting the public concession of Monchique Mineral Water since 16 December 1992. Today it is one of the biggest players in Portugal and, in the last 4 years, has made very considerable progress to win domestic and external markets.

The manufacturing and logistics facilities are located in Caldas de Monchique, Algarve, Portugal, in a protected area of more than 50 hectares, where the preservation of aquifers is the critical factor in driving the sustainable management of the environment.

Since its association with the Porto Protocol initiative, the company has made very significant progress to soften the environmental footprint of its activities and become more sustainable.

1. The company replaced its 2 inefficient old trucks, one complying with the EURO 2 standard and the other with EURO 3, with two new more efficient trucks that comply with the latest European standard for vehicle gas emissions, EURO 6. The reduction in emissions we have achieved is shown in the graph below.

Source: Transport Resources International Limited

2. Monchique Water Company started down the path to electric mobility by replacing one of its fuel operated cars by a 100% electric car, with zero percent gas emissions, making available in the area a Super Charger for all citizens to charge their personal electric cars;

3. Replaced an old air-compressor by a 40% more efficient one;

4. Reduced plastic foil on pallets by 15%;

5. Replaced the use of all standard white paper with recycled paper and, at the same time, reduced printing;

6. The Company has implemented active policies concerning the environment that involve all the team. All Monchique team members planted 90 new trees helping to recover the Monchique eco-system damaged by the huge fires that devastated the area last August.

The company will continue to do more every day and already has extremely ambitious strategic plans to reduce its environmental footprint, contributing, day by day, to a more ecological and sustainable business.