Water Sustainability Conference 2025: Promoting Industrial Water Use Efficiency

The Water Sustainability Conference 2025, organized by the Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE) under the National Water Mission (NWM), Ministry of Jal Shakti, in association with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), was held on March 12, 2025, at the NDMC Convention Centre, New Delhi. Inaugurated by Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri C. R. Patil, the conference focused on enhancing Industrial Water Use Efficiency. Various government officials, industry leaders, and experts deliberated on innovative strategies and policies to optimize water use in industries. Shri C. R. Patil emphasized the 4R approach (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Recharge) and added Respect as the 5th principle, urging industries to integrate sustainable water management practices.

Key Highlights of the Conference

Inauguration & Leadership Address

• Shri C. R. Patil, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, highlighted the government’s commitment to water sustainability and urged industries to adopt innovative water conservation technologies.
• Showcased successful models like PEPL Kadodara (Surat) and Vapi Paper Industry for improved industrial water use efficiency.

Government’s Vision & Strategy

• Emphasized initiatives like Jal Jeevan Mission and Jal Shakti Abhiyan, transforming India’s water management system.
• Promoted industry-government partnerships for sustainable water use.
• Encouraged industries to embrace the circular economy model, focusing on treatment, reuse, and recycling of water.

Keynote Address & Expert Insights

• Ms. Debashree Mukherjee (Secretary, DoWR, RD&GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti) discussed groundwater recharge, river health, and industrial effluent management.
• Dr. Syamal Kumar Sarkar (TERI Fellow, Former WR & DoPT Secretary) warned that India’s industrial water demand could reach 151 BCM by 2050, urging immediate efficiency measures.

Technical & Ministerial Sessions

• Ministerial Session: Focused on government strategies to accelerate water efficiency, chaired by Shri Praveen Gupta (CEA Member).
• Technical Session I: Addressed benchmarking industrial water efficiency through case studies from NTPC, SAIL, and CPCB, chaired by Dr. S.K. Sarkar.
• Technical Session II: Discussed achieving Water Neutrality & Net Zero Future, chaired by Dr. Sunil Kumar Ambast (Chairman, CGWB).

Key Recommendations & Outcomes

• Encourage self-regulation through industrial water audits.
• Adopt water-efficient processes for reuse, recycling, and groundwater recharge.
• Implement water footprint marking and BIS standards for industrial products.
• Promote Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) & advanced water recycling technologies.
• Strengthen policy frameworks & real-time water usage monitoring.
• Enhance industry-government collaboration for sustainable water solutions.