Industry and Sustainable Water Management Sunita Nadhamuni CEO, Arghyam

About Arghyam Charitable Trust with an endowment from Rohini Nilekani Working on domestic water since 2005 – Safe, sustainable water for all Support grass-roots, community-based efforts by NGOs on sustainable water management. 80 projects in 18 States Run the India Water Portal; also in Hindi Action research projects to improve governance, promote transparency and accountability, develop decentralized models of water management

Why water? India - 16% of world’s population, 4% of available freshwater Water is a common pool resource - has competing uses, is divisible, amenable to sharing, results in tradeoffs and high exclusion costs Industrial + energy water demand to grow at 4.2% per year Industry - second largest consumer of water. 6 - 13% of freshwater Urban & industrial sector will have huge implications on use of water and discharge of waste

Negotiating for water In developing countries, 70% of industrial wastes are dumped without treatment, polluting the usable water supply. (WDR) Each litre of wastewater discharged pollutes about 5–8 litres of water. Industrial water use ~ between 35–50% of the total water; not 7–8% (CSE) Vicious cycle: peri-urban water -> urban consumption -> waste water -> pollutes peri-urban water -> reduced water availability Lack of accountability - need for state-imposed regulations, strong community opposition

Competing Demands Hirakud dam - irrigation, power generation, flood control. Water allocation for industrial use reduced irrigation water availability. Industrial water demand VS agricultural needs, livelihoods Farmers asserted right over reservoir water in 2007 Some industries laying pipes and drawing water from reservoir without permits. Increasing tensions.

Competing Demands Chalakudy, Kerala The hydro power reservoir in dam regulates the water flow downstream. This regulation has adversely affected the drinking and irrigation water needs of the downstream population Upstream-downstream conflicts

Competing Demands Parabs in Kutchch Painstaking work by NGOs over years. Build local capacities, revive local water bodies, frameworks for community management Groundwater, streams restored Allocation for industrial purposes endangers fragile, carefully nurtured system

Future-proofing for water The cost of water will only go up in these scenarios Future proofing - using as little water as possible throughout supply chain Water cost - in cement, beverages, automobiles, pulp and paper, power, engineering, chemicals and fertilizers - 0.15% to 1.3%. Product cost linked to water cost CPCL petroleum refinery in Chennai recycles 1.4 million m3 of water per year, and uses the same. The liquid discharge of refinery is 0

Low-water business opportunity Great business opportunity in a low water economy. How to create the low cost low water filters pumps meters, water efficient energy production units Water metering can help regulate water: Gandhigram GP of Tamil Nadu Water treatment devices for industries as well as for domestic areas: SBT RWH regulations in Bangalore has created a local industry and innovation ecosystem in Bangalore

THANK YOU There is a strong moral imperative We have intergenerational responsibilities We have only one planet THANK YOU sunita@arghyam.org www.arghyam.org