Industry can improve

the technology to do so exists. But does the will?

Water use in Indian industry is very high due to a combination of factors including obsolete process technology, poor recycling and reuse practices and poor wastewater treatment. Water once used is generally thrown without any further use, even if the water is not much contaminated. Segregation of wastewater from various processes into clean wastewater, (that can be reused) and contaminated water is not commonly done. The result is that even the uncontaminated water gets contaminated after mixing and is discharged as effluent.

Indian industry, especially thermal power plants, consume majority of their water for cooling requirements. Majority of industries use 'once-through cooling systems', in which water once used for cooling is discharged. Similarly, reuse of non-contact steam condensate is also not favoured in India, though it is virtually clean and can be reused by reducing the total dissolved solids (TDS).

The wastewater treatment system in Indian industry is essentially installed to meet the wastewater discharge norms. The design principles do not consider the possibility of recycling and reusing the wastewater. Inevitably, in all industries the wastewater discharged is seldom suitable for reuse within the industry, though industry expects other users to reuse its wastewater because it is 'treated'. Most industries have their water intake points upstream of their wastewater discharge points. This itself exemplifies the quality and interest of wastewater treatment by Indian industry.