1. Industry and Sustainable Water Management
Sunita Nadhamuni
CEO, Arghyam

2. 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

3. 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 % of freshwater
Urban & industrial sector will have huge implications on use of water and discharge of waste

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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 % 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

9. 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

10. THANK YOU There is a strong moral imperative
We have intergenerational responsibilities
We have only one planet
THANK YOU