Hardin County Rotary Club Learns How Water is Contributing to the Growing Economy

On August 4, Governor Beshear announced the latest EV-related investment coming to the Commonwealth – the LOTTE Group will locate its first aluminum manufacturing facility in Hardin County. The more than $238 million investment will create 122 full-time jobs and produce 36,000 tons of cathode foil, a type of ultra-thin aluminum foil used in the creation of EV batteries.

Since June 2020, the Commonwealth has seen more than $8.5 billion in EV-related investments with 5,000 jobs coming to Hardin County alone.

Essential to every automotive manufacturing facility, but especially to EV vehicle manufacturing, is one core natural resource – water.

According to the Congressional Research Service, manufacturing electric vehicles is about 50 percent more water intensive than traditional internal combustion engines.

Louisville Water Company echoed water’s importance and shared its “Water Grows KY” campaign with the Hardin County Rotary Club last Friday, part of a comprehensive speaker’s bureau planned through 2022.

Water Grows KY is a statewide educational initiative, highlighting water’s vital and often unexpected role in Kentucky’s signature industries – agriculture, distilling and brewing, education, health care and manufacturing.

Louisville Water’s Vince Guenthner discussed the importance of water infrastructure to economic development and how expanded service will impact new facilities coming to Hardin County and beyond.

One of Louisville Water’s valued partners attended the presentation on Friday, acknowledging the need for reliable water infrastructure to support the state’s economic momentum. The presentation comes just months after the Kentucky Legislature approved $35 million in unallocated funds to support regional water system improvements for Bullitt, Hardin, Meade and Nelson counties.

The legislative success would not have been possible without the coalition of support from regional water suppliers, economic development professionals and elected officials.

“Kentucky’s recent growth is proof of the power of partnership,” said Stephen Hogan, General Manager of Hardin County Water District No.1. “We all have a role to play in advocating for reliable, high-quality water, and we’re proud to be a part of a coalition advancing our state forward.”

To learn more about the Water Grows KY campaign and how water can grow your business, visit WaterGrowsKY.com.