Water Management

As India's economic boom gathers more and more momentum with each passing year, industrial water and energy use and related environmental impacts are going to be among the most critical factors in resource sustainability debates in the country and elsewhere. The companies portrayed represent a wide spectrum of industry: paper, metals, agro-processing, synthetic fibre, petroleum, transport, cement, energy, fertilizer, soft drinks and more.

Made available to us by the CII, the presentations offered here describe in detail just how these varied companies have undertaken wide ranging and often innovative eco-friendly modifications to equipment and procedures both within the their plants and in the townships around them. Technical parameters, financial implications and gains/savings are all clearly documented, making them valuable resource materials for study amongst the industrial community in India and elsewhere. While specific industries can of course gain from the sector specific innovations, there is also a wealth of material on ideas whose utility cuts across sectors, potentially benefiting industry as a whole.

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• Read a description of the event by S. Vishwanath of the Rainwater Club who was on the jury
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As a major user of water and generator of effluents, the corporate sector has a tremendous impact on India's water and sanitation situation, especially in the current context of accelerating growth and industrial development.

This report examines the evolution of the management of India’s waters, describes the achievements of the past, and the looming set of challenges. The report suggests what changes should be considered and how to manage the transition from “the ways of the past” to “the ways of the future’’ in a principled but pragmatic manner.

This presentation deals with the Integrated Watershed Development Programme being implemented by ITC Limited, Kolkata.  Given that it is a large agro-based company with a pan-India presence, it is hardly surprising that ITC's soil and water conservation interventions are on a major scale, covering 66,723 acres in 450 villages from 23 districts in 7 states.

The human development report for the year 2006 published by the United Nations Development Programme focuses on water and sanitation and is divided into the following chapters:

This report by the

This presentation describes the efforts undertaken by ITCs Munger plant at water conservation.

This presentation describes the efforts made by the Heavy Water Plant at Kota at environmental footprint reduction.

This presentation describes the efforts made by HIndustan Zinc Limited at water conservation.

This presentation describes the efforts at environmental management at  JK  Tyres, Kankroli, plant.

This presentation describes the efforts undertaken by ITC Bhadrachalan at water conservation. The company has chosen energy management, environmental & waste management and social & farm forestry as major focus areas for CSR.

Specific processes include recycling/reuse of paper mill back water for dilution of bleached pulp and unbleached tower as well as for pulp slushing; of recausticising plant cooling and sealing water to clarifloculator; reduction in DM water consumption due to increase in process condensate recovery; arresting water piping leakages including fire hydrant piping by clamping; and recycling of paper machine primary clarifier outlet water for miscellaneous uses. Specific water consumption trends show a decrease from 183 cu m/tonne in 1997-'98 to 60.7 cu m/tonne in 2006-'07.