TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) has broken ground on a new water plant in Arizona. The project aims to conserve water as the chipmaker builds its semiconductor facilities in Phoenix. The 15-acre Industrial Reclamation Water Plant will sit at the company’s campus near 43rd Avenue and Dove Valley Road.

In a news release, TSMC explained that it operates similar water facilities in Taiwan but must operate here differently due to the higher levels of magnesium and calcium in the Phoenix water supply. TMSC said the industrial wastewater will be reverted back to an “ultrapure” standard, necessary in the chipmaking process. The facility is designed to reuse nearly every drop of water. At first, it will recycle about 85% of water used. The company hopes to raise that rate to 90% or more over time.

Katherine Davis-Young via KJZZ

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited or Taiwan Semiconductor) is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It is the world’s largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry, and its country’s largest company, with headquarters and main operations located in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Although the central government of Taiwan is the largest individual shareholder, the majority of TSMC is owned by foreign investors. In 2023, TSMC served 528 business customers and manufactured 11,895 products for various applications covering a variety of end markets including high performance computing, smartphones, the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive, and digital consumer electronics.