On World Water Day, Kimberly-Clark has reaffirmed its commitment to drive water stewardship in water stressed regions around the world with the launch of WaterLOUPE 2.0, an updated version of an innovative, open-source tool to help communities analyze local risks to freshwater resources and create sustainable mitigation strategies.

 
Co-developed with Dutch research institute Deltares, the WaterLOUPE dashboard depicts water scarcity risks for an entire watershed due to the impacts of climate change, population growth and other factors over a 30-year time horizon. Local stakeholders including municipalities, communities, businesses and NGOs use the insights gained from WaterLOUPE to identify potential solutions to conserve freshwater supplies and reduce the risk of water shortages.
 

WaterLOUPE 2.0 adds a scenario modeling capability, which helps users quantify water shortages, risk reduction and economic consequences of potential solutions and choose the best strategy to close the water scarcity gap.
 

Since 2018, WaterLOUPE has provided a platform to bring together multiple stakeholdersto find solutions at a local level that drive economic, environmental, and social value.
 

“The co-creation process with a multinational like Kimberly-Clark and the engagement with stakeholders in the basins that we put ‘under the loupe’ has been essential for the results we’ve achieved so far. In order to improve water stewardship initiatives, a scientific sound knowledge base reflecting the local situations is key,” says Sophie Vermooten, groundwater expert and project leader WaterLOUPE at Deltares.
 

Kimberly-Clark has deployed the tool in the catchment areas around water-stressed cities such as Cali, Colombia; Cape Town, South Africa; and Sao Paulo, Brazil to foster collaboration with NGO partners and key stakeholders to develop sustainable water management plans at the local level.
 

“If we want to protect our natural resources and minimize the impact of our planet, we know that we have to take responsibility and align our business to solve global challenges such as water scarcity,” said Gonzalo Uribe, President of Kimberly-Clark Latin America. “Through WaterLOUPE, we are able to engage local farmers, industries, and stakeholders in identifying vulnerabilities and being part of the solution needed now and for the future.”

Along with the launch of WaterLOUPE 2.0, Kimberly-Clark and Deltares are expanding their reach, with new WaterLOUPE studies being carried out in Lima, Peru and Chennai, India as well as across Israel and Bahrain.

 
“As we deploy the WaterLOUPE tool in other basins, we are exploring ways to engage with local suppliers and other stakeholders to create a collective action group to solve water challenges together,” said Vetri Dhagumudi, global water program leader at Kimberly-Clark.
 
In the coming months, Kimberly-Clark and Deltares will organize a WaterLOUPE 2.0 webinar to present the newest developments. Companies are invited to join the initiative and become part of the WaterLOUPE community by contacting waterloupe@deltares.nl.
 
WaterLOUPE is an integral part of Kimberly-Clark’s 2030 strategy to reduce its water footprint by 50% by creating significant improvements in in its supply chain and the surrounding communities, ensuring access to fresh water for all.
 
The company aims to address the social and environmental challenges of the next decade with commitments to improve the lives and well-being of 1 billion people in underserved communities around the world with the smallest environmental footprint.