In 2006, PotashCorp operations used 305.4 million cubic meters of water. Most of this, 246.1 million cubic meters, was recycled, and the plants withdrew only 59.3 million cubic meters of new water. Total water use has been declining since 2004 due to more efficient use in phosphate production.

Phosphate production accounted for over 87 percent of water used by the operating divisions. The ore is mixed with the recycled water into a slurry that is pumped to the processing plant, where it is screened to remove coarse materials, washed to remove clay and floated to remove sand.