The two AMATA City Industrial Estates are in the eastern region of Thailand, which is a water-stressed area. Thus, the continuously increasing demand for industrial water due to the expansion of the industrial sector with the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) project, the rapid increase in the population in the area, and climate change are resulting in a water crisis. All these factors present risks and challenges to the Company’s water management and may result in significant negative impacts on the Company’s key stakeholders in terms of business operations, environment, public health, and quality of life. Poorly managed water resources can also lead to issues such as water scarcity and competition for water access. Therefore, water and effluent are always two of the most important material topics that have been focused on by the Company and its stakeholders from the beginning.
Moreover, ineffective wastewater management or the inability to control the effluent discharged by the factories will increase the risk of effluent leakage from industrial estates. This not only impacts the environment, community health, and surrounding communities, but also has a significant impact on stakeholder trust in the Company.
By adopting a circular economy approach and implementing innovations in water management for the industrial estates, the Company can reduce operating costs and ensure water security for both the users within the industrial estate and the surrounding communities, which rely on natural water sources. This is a key factor in building trust among stakeholders and investors and enhancing the Company’s competitiveness in the industry.
The Company has set a corporate objective of achieving Zero Discharge, ensuring that no effluent is released beyond the industrial estate boundaries—a commitment it has upheld since the beginning of its operations. To support this, the Company has implemented a comprehensive water management plan covering 100% of its operational areas, encompassing raw water sourcing, industrial water usage, and wastewater management. In addition, the Company conducts regular water quality monitoring at various points—including raw water, industrial water, and effluent—to ensure that all water quality indicators meet or better than legal standards. This proactive approach is designed to safeguard stakeholders from both short-term and long-term impacts.
The Company strictly complies with relevant laws under the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Act (B.E. 2522, 1979), the Factory Act (B.E. 2535, 1992), and ISO 14001:2015 environmental standards. Water quality is regularly monitored by laboratories registered with the Department of Industrial Works, and the operating results on water and wastewater management are disclosed in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports. The EIA Monitoring Report is regularly presented to the Environmental Quality Audit Committees of both AMATA Industrial Estates every six months. Factory operators in the industrial estates are also supervised to ensure their compliance with the regulations of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand to prevent and mitigate social and environmental impacts.
The Company has established a Water Management Committee, comprising the Chief Executive Officer, representatives from the Engineering Department, and key subsidiaries—AMATA U Company Limited and AMATA Facility Services Company Limited—to oversee and be responsible for all aspects of water management across AMATA’s industrial estates. In addition, the Company cultivates a deeper understanding of its business operations and promotes sustainable water management practices among the communities surrounding the industrial estates. Furthermore, the Company provides expertise to improve community water management by fostering collaboration among the Company, government agencies, and local communities. These efforts aim to improve public health and environmental quality in surrounding areas.
See more details about our Sustainable Water Management Policy
All four of AMATA’s industrial estates in Thailand (100%) are located in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a region classified as water-stressed areas and prone to severe drought conditions. Based on the Company’s risk and impact assessments, AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate has been identified as having a significant risk concerning the availability of raw water for industrial use. To mitigate this risk, the Company has established adequate raw water reserves, both within and outside the industrial estate, and has increased the reuse of treated wastewater to the maximum extent possible, thereby reducing reliance on natural water sources.
AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate is situated upstream of the catchment area, where the significant risks are the integrity of watershed conservation and the confidence of surrounding communities in the ability to reserve and share the water supply. The Company has expanded raw water reservoirs within the industrial estate and secured a water reserve from outside while implementing the riverside and watershed forest conservation project and developing a water supply system to support communities in the event of droughts.
The Company has assigned AMATA U Company Limited to oversee the raw water supply for industrial water production, serving all factories in AMATA Industrial Estates. In 2024, total industrial water demand amounted to 59.88 million cubic meters, reflecting a 1.5% decrease from 2023. To ensure sufficient industrial water production capacity while coping with climate change and increasing customer demand, the Company maintains 17 operational raw water reservoirs with a total storage capacity of 61.2 million cubic meters. Additionally, the Company has expanded the use of high-quality reclaimed water produced through the Water Reclamation System to substitute raw surface water in industrial water production. As a result, the Company's raw surface water consumption has been reduced to 63% of total industrial water demand. This strategic water management approach has enabled the Company to maintain raw water reserves exceeding 150% of total raw surface water demand, aligning with its policy.
The Company recognizes the expectations and concerns of various stakeholders regarding water management, particularly factory operators within both AMATA City industrial estates and surrounding communities directly affected. Accordingly, communication initiatives have been implemented to provide clear information on the water situation and the Company’s management approaches, as outlined below.
To enhance stability and security in water management—including the development of water reservoirs, pipeline network operations, and water use efficiency to support the expansion of industrial estates while promoting environmental sustainability and integrated water management—AMATA U Company Limited, the subsidiary responsible for all water management within AMATA’s industrial estates, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Public Company Limited on 5 November 2024. This collaboration aims to jointly explore approaches to water management in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with the long-term goals of enhancing water security and fostering stakeholder confidence in this region.
In the process of wastewater management within the industrial estates, the Company oversees the quality of wastewater discharged from industrial factories by requiring the separation of stormwater drainage systems from wastewater systems. Factory operators are mandated to pre-treat their wastewater to meet quality control standards within their facilities in accordance with the regulations of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand. The pre-treated wastewater is then conveyed via pipelines to the central wastewater collection and treatment facility of the industrial estate, which is managed by AMATA U Company Limited.
The wastewater sent to the central treatment facility is treated to meet the standards set forth in the announcements of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment B.E. 2559 (2016) and the announcement of the Ministry of Industry, B.E. 2560 (2017). The treated wastewater is rigorously tested by a private laboratory registered with the Department of Industrial Works to ensure that it meets all quality criteria before being reused in various forms. The Company maintains a system for controlling and overseeing the quality of wastewater discharged from factories by conducting regular monthly inspections. If any discharge fails to meet the required standards, the Company will issue a written notification to the factory to correct the issue and impose an additional wastewater treatment service fee.
The Company has adopted a Zero Discharge policy, ensuring that no effluent is released outside its facilities. As a result, the Company has set a target to fully utilize 100% of treated water within its operations. A portion of the treated water is processed into high-quality reclaimed water, which is used to replace raw surface water sourced from natural reservoirs. In line with this objective, the Company has set a target to reduce the proportion of raw surface water used to below 60% of the total water demand by factory operators in all AMATA industrial estates by 2024.
The continuous improvement of wastewater treatment systems and quality control allowed the treated wastewater from the central wastewater treatment system to meet the water quality standards according to the Ministry of Industry and was completely utilized (100%). In 2024, a total of 21.9 million cubic meters of wastewater entered the central wastewater treatment system, a 9% decrease compared to 2023. The Company benefits from reusing all the treated water (100%) within the industrial estate, and 43% of the treated water was used to produce high-quality water through the Water Reclamation System with reverse osmosis technology, where the high-quality water produced was used to replace natural raw water in the tap water production process for industrial purposes. The remaining treated water was used in the power plants for cooling and stream turbines and in the green areas at 31% and 26%, respectively.
The Company has invested in the development of a high-quality water production process by using treated water to produce high-quality water through a reclamation system using reverse osmosis technology since 2008, and has continuously expanded its production capacity. Currently, the Water Reclamation System has a total capacity of 35,360 cubic meters per day for producing high-quality water. This capacity enabled the Company to reduce its withdrawal of raw surface water to 38.01 million cubic meters in 2024, representing 63% of the total water demand within the AMATA Industrial Estates. However, this figure did not meet the target of keeping raw surface water withdrawals below 60% of total water consumption. The shortfall was primarily due to a decrease in wastewater inflow into the central wastewater collection system. Many factories have implemented enhanced water efficiency measures in line with their sustainability strategies, such as reducing water consumption in production processes or increasing internal water recycling. A portion of the treated water must first be utilized in the cooling system of the power plant, as per the agreement, resulting in a decrease in the amount of treated water sent to the water reclamation system.
Despite this, the production of high-quality reclaimed water as a replacement for raw surface water has generated an annual cost saving of 73.29 million baht in water sourcing expenses. Additionally, the Company's strategic water management efforts have increased raw water reserves by five months, mitigating water scarcity risks and enhancing resilience against potential drought crises. Furthermore, these initiatives contribute to strengthening stakeholder confidence, particularly among customers and surrounding communities, by ensuring long-term water security and sustainable water management within the industrial estate.
The Company regularly inspects the building and surrounding areas for potential water leakage and conducts routine maintenance to ensure that water supply systems and equipment within the premises remain in optimal condition. Automatic faucets have been installed in restrooms to minimize unnecessary water loss. Furthermore, the Company actively promotes water conservation awareness among employees across all AMATA offices through the “ALL SAVE ALL WIN” initiative. This campaign communicates responsible water use through signage and internal email communications, encouraging employees to avoid leaving water taps running during cleaning activities and to maximize water usage efficiency. For instance, melted ice water is reused for office cleaning and for rinsing food-contaminated packaging waste prior to drying and proper disposal.
In addition, the Company has implemented measures to reduce water consumption in common areas by utilizing treated or recycled water from the industrial estates for irrigation purposes. This recycled water is supplied through an automatic sprinkler system installed along the estate’s main roads and is also used by water trucks to irrigate other green spaces within common areas. To further enhance water efficiency, irrigation schedules are adjusted according to seasonal conditions. During the dry season, irrigation is carried out once or twice daily as part of routine operations. In the rainy season, the frequency is reduced—for example, irrigation is suspended on rainy days—to ensure the efficient and responsible use of water resources in maintaining green areas.
In 2024, the Company’s total water consumption amounted to 38.01 million cubic meters, with a water intensity of 1,128.81 cubic meters per rai or 7,055.05 cubic meters per hectare. Despite implementing various water efficiency measures, reducing water consumption, and increasing the use of recycled water, the water usage intensity per unit of operational area increased by 1.9% compared to 2023. This increase was due to the expansion of production capacity by certain factory operators, such as beverage manufacturing plants, as well as increased water consumption from new factory construction.
Promoting Water Resource Conservation Among Stakeholders
The Company places strong emphasis on efficient and sustainable water management through multi-stakeholder participation, with a particular focus on water usage by factory operators within AMATA Industrial Estates. In this regard, the Company has undertaken collaborative initiatives with factories in two key forms. First, it issues formal requests encouraging factories to use water efficiently and responsibly, reduce consumption and minimize water loss within their operations. These efforts support the Company’s sustainable water management measures and help mitigate the risks and potential impacts of future droughts. Additionally, the Company offers consultation support on recycled water systems through its team of water management specialists. This guidance assists factories in reducing wastewater management costs, ensuring compliance with water quality standards, and avoiding additional wastewater treatment charges as announced by AMATA Industrial Estate. These initiatives promote water conservation and encourage the reuse of treated wastewater for further beneficial purposes.
Further to this, the Company aims to encourage the factory operators in industrial estates, government agencies, and communities surrounding the industrial estates to have knowledge and understanding of the Company’s operations and sustainable water management guidelines. Additionally, it seeks to promote awareness of the potential impact on stakeholders and the environment that may result from inefficient water management practices. The Company has established a Water Management Learning Center in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate since 2009 to share knowledge and insights from its water management practices, make it available to surrounding communities and the public to study the industrial estate's water management model, and raise awareness of visitors and their cooperation in water resource preservation.
Since its establishment in 2009, the Water Management Learning Center at AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate has welcomed 446 visiting groups, totaling 13,420 visitors. The Company aims to foster greater understanding of its sustainable water management practices among key stakeholders, including customers and local communities. The Learning Center is open to the general public, and organizations interested in visiting may submit a request to AMATA U Company Limited or AMATA Corporation Public Company Limited. In 2024 alone, the center received 1,114 visitors across 39 groups—comprising 10 general interest groups, 17 student groups, and 12 groups from central and local government agencies.
In addition, the Company leverages its knowledge base to support the development of public water source management in community areas adjacent to AMATA Industrial Estates. This is achieved through integrating collaboration between the Company, government agencies, and communities in reducing and preventing the discharge of wastewater and waste from the community into the public water system, maintaining the quality of the water system, and improving the environment of the communities.
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