Foxconn Technology Group says it's investing in a $30 million recycling system that will significantly reduce the amount of water drawn from Lake Michigan for its planned manufacturing complex in southeast Wisconsin.
Foxconn said Tuesday that the "zero liquid discharge" system will virtually eliminate the return of manufacturing waste water into the nearby lake.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in April approved a request from the city Racine to draw 7 million gallons (26.5 million liters) of water a day from the lake to serve the $10 billion complex.
The Taiwan-based company says the technology is expected to reduce water intake by more than 3.5 million gallons (13.25 million liters) per day. It says the system will eliminate manufacturing process waste water by distilling it, which will allow it to recycle, recover and reuse it.
Foxconn has a similar system at its facility in Sakai, Japan.
