Significant water resources are required for the production of aluminium, especially during the refining and smelting process.

IAI member companies have recognised that water supply is becoming an increasingly important issue due to climate-change related factors – drought, extreme weather, increased temperatures and so on. In 2004 they introduced a voluntary objective to strive to reduce the fresh water consumption per tonne of alumina produced and to report annually on their progress towards meeting this objective. Efforts to minimise fresh water consumption are particularly concentrated where there are limited fresh water resources available, for example in high water stress areas. The IAI collects data on fresh water consumption to track the performance of members’ facilities.

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