Intel Investing To Restore 46 Million Gallons of Water in Costa Rica
Intel Corporation will provide the resources to protect 150 hectares (more than 370 acres) in the upper areas of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, specifically in San Isidro de Coronado, San José. The effort to restore water to nature will involve around 46 million gallons per year, i.e., the water needed to supply approximately 524 families or 2,620 people over the course of one year. This will be the first water restoration project that Intel has funded in Latin America and in Costa Rica. During the upcoming 10 years, an area of the forest will be protected to help recharge the aquifers in the hydrographic basins that discharge into the Río Grande in Tárcoles.
“At Intel, we continuously strive to improve our operations and minimize the impact on the environment. By financing cooperative projects to support local water basins, we are seeking to restore the freshwater that we consume to reduce the gap in our hydrological balance. As part of the Corporation’s 2030 RISE strategy, the sustainability goals include achieving net positive water by funding projects that restore more than 100% of the freshwater that we consume worldwide and this project supports that effort,” stated Aníbal Alterno, the Regional Environment, Health and Safety Manager for Intel.
This project will be developed thanks to a partnership between Intel Costa Rica and FUNDECOR (The Foundation for the Development of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range) as part of the first public-private water and civil society fund in Costa Rica: ”Agua Tica”. With this project, the forest will be protected to provide water quality and quantity benefits, recognizing the importance of supporting ecosystems and water resources.
“Our organization contributes to creating innovative solutions for comprehensive management of the landscape through collaborative initiatives that make it possible to enhance the benefits of nature for people and an inclusive and resilient development. Therefore, within the framework of the 30th FUNDECOR anniversary, today we are celebrating this valuable partnership with Intel Corporation.” stated Mario A. Piedra, the FUNDECOR Executive Director.
“By implementing this project in the Agua Tica area of influence, we have been able to strengthen the work that we perform and our geographic reach to advance toward our objective: the Water Security of people in the Greater Metropolitan Area,” said Manuel Guerrero, the Ecosystem Management Coordinator at FUNDECOR and the Agua Tica Technical Secretary.
“Water is essential for the semiconductor manufacturing process. We use ultra-pure water to eliminate impurities from the silicon wafers; recovered and industrial water to make the manufacturing facility systems work. Intel incorporates environmental yield objectives in all its operations because they are a part of our RISE (Responsible, Inclusive, Sustainable, Enabling) strategy. This strategy aims at creating a more responsible, inclusive, sustainable world, enabled through technology and collective actions,” concluded Timothy Scott Hall, Government Affairs and Public Relations Manager for Intel Costa Rica.
Intel has financed more than 32 water restoration projects that benefit water basins that support Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Texas in the United States, as well as in Bangalore, India, and now in Costa Rica.
High Value Operations
Intel Costa Rica currently employs 2,400 people. The high-value activities that are already located in the country are split into two large centers:
- The Research and Development Center (R&D): This is currently the major R&D center in the country and is dedicated to designing, prototyping, testing and validating integrated circuit solutions.
- The Global Service Center: The center designs, executes, and improves multifunctional business processes throughout the world in Finance, Human Resources, Sales and Marketing, Quality, and Information Technology.
Assembly and testing operations will be added in the second half of the year.
FUNDECOR is one of the large pioneers in sustainable development and responsible management of natural resources in Costa Rica. It supports and advises communities, companies, and institutions ranging from joint construction to even knowledge with Integrated Landscape Management, citizen participation and construction and innovative solutions using projects for human well-being and housing in the territory itself, fostering greater resilience to climate change and the challenges in the context. www.fundecor.org
