At Hudbay’s Constancia operation in Peru, work is underway to obtain the Blue Certificate (Certificado Azul) – a recognition granted by the Peruvian National Water Authority (Autoridad Nacional del Agua) as part of the agency’s Water Footprint program.
The program aims to reduce the water footprint for producing goods and services across the country, encourage organizations to manage water more sustainably and promote the shared value of water. The Blue Certificate program recognizes companies and organizations that complete the following:
- Measuring their water footprint
- Developing a water reduction plan for their operations
- Implementing a shared-value project with surrounding communities
In 2022, we kicked off this process by analyzing our water footprint across the Constancia operation and commenced the following two key projects to meet the Blue Certificate requirements:
- Water footprint reduction project – We invested $217,000 in an automated car wash that recirculates more than 80% of the water used to wash each vehicle (pickup trucks and cars) and does not require personnel to operate the system. This new system is expected to save 500 m3 of water every year.
- Shared value project – Because reliable water sources are critical for supporting agricultural livelihoods, we are investing $185,000 to construct two reservoirs in Quimsachata, a community that was built for those who were resettled as part of Constancia’s development. The reservoirs, which will provide 13,000 m3 of water per year when completed in 2023, will benefit 18 families and help them develop and grow their agriculture-based livelihoods.
In 2023, we expect Autoridad Nacional del Agua to visit Constancia to verify the completion of Blue Certificate requirements.