Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are accelerating water resources management to reduce water use needed for semiconductor production and to reuse water after a single use. Samsung Electronics is pushing a project to reuse about 330,000 tons per day of treated wastewater from the Hwaseong-Osan and Suwon areas as industrial water for semiconductors, and SK hynix has set a goal to save a cumulative 600 million tons of water resources by 2030.
According to the industry on the 11th, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix participated in Korea International Water Week (KIWW) 2026, held at EXCO in Daegu from on the 9th to this day, and introduced water resources reduction and reuse technologies at semiconductor business sites and activities to preserve ecosystems. KIWW is an international water-related event hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Daegu Metropolitan City, Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco), and others.
The semiconductor manufacturing process requires large amounts of water for wafer cleaning and more. As semiconductor production capacity expands, the importance of securing a stable water supply, reusing used water, and managing effluent also grows. Samsung Electronics is reducing water use through process improvements and equipment efficiency while purifying and reusing water used at its establishment. In cooperation with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and local governments, it is also preparing a project to further purify effluent from public sewage treatment facilities and use it as industrial water for semiconductors.
It totals 330,000 tons per day, including about 120,000 tons of treated wastewater from the Hwaseong-Osan area and about 210,000 tons from the Suwon area. Through this, Samsung Electronics plans to reduce its existing dependence on Suwon while stably securing the water needed for semiconductor production.
The scope of water resources management is also expanding beyond the establishment. In partnership with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), it is promoting activities to return water resources to nature and preserve water quality and biodiversity by improving the functions of the Sinpung Wetland upstream of Jangheung Dam. Along Osancheon near the business sites, it continues water quality management and ecosystem conservation activities.
SK hynix last year reduced daily water use at its domestic business sites by an average of 170,000 tons. By the company's estimate, that is enough for about 550,000 people to use as domestic water for a day. Since 2018, SK hynix has operated a water and wastewater reduction task force (TF) to cut water use in production and expand reuse. The cumulative water resources saved reached 303.37 million tons through last year, surpassing the previous target of 264 million tons. The company aims to raise the cumulative savings to 329 million tons this year and to 600 million tons by 2030.
The amount of water reused after a single use is also increasing. SK hynix's water reuse rose about 54%, from 47.88 million tons in 2022 to 73.59 million tons last year. By site, the wastewater reuse facility at the Icheon business site produces 94,400 tons of reclaimed water per day, supplying it to air pollution control facilities and more. The Cheongju business site in 2023 became the first in Korea's semiconductor industry to introduce externally treated wastewater for reuse and is using it as industrial water.
A Samsung Electronics official said, "We plan to continue strengthening a sustainable water resources management system that further improves water-use efficiency and expands reuse through technological innovation and public-private cooperation, while also considering the nature and ecosystems near our establishment."
An SK hynix official said, "We will continue to advance our water resources management system so that we use less of the water essential to semiconductor production and maximize reuse of the water we do use," adding, "We will also steadily expand investments in process improvements and related technologies and facilities."