UMPESL set benchmarks for circular water practices in rural and industrial India

With 1.4 billion people and only 4 percent of the world’s freshwater, India is experiencing a growing water crisis. As the fifth-largest wastewater treatment market, the country offers a unique opportunity to implement a circular water economy, in which water is utilised rather than wasted, ensuring sustainability, resilience, and long-term water security.

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing environmental and economic challenges of our times, especially in a country like India, where over 1.4 billion people depend on just 4 percent of the world’s freshwater resources. As the Indian wastewater treatment market surges, there is an opportunity to shift from linear consumption patterns to a circular water economy, where wastewater is not wasted but is a renewable asset. India holds the fifth-largest wastewater treatment market globally, underscoring its potential for innovation and leadership in this sector. 

A significant opportunity lies ahead: rethinking wastewater not as a burden but as a resource. The concept of a circular water economy is gaining momentum, promising to revolutionise how water is sourced, consumed, treated, and reused—especially across industries. A circular water economy focuses on closing the loop, where water is continually reused through treatment, recycling, and reclamation. Unlike the traditional linear approach of “extract-use-discharge,” the circular model promotes long-term sustainability by minimising waste, conserving resources, and increasing system efficiency.

This concept is particularly relevant in India, where erratic rainfall, over-exploited groundwater, and polluted water bodies have compounded the crisis. The circular model offers a pathway to reduce dependence on freshwater and build resilience against climate change and operational disruptions.

Voltas is committed to supporting India’s water security through its fully owned subsidiary, Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services Limited (UMPESL), which promotes the treatment, recycling, and responsible use of water.

While some progress has been made through water audits and conservation initiatives, the shift towards full circularity remains uneven. Forward-thinking companies are taking a proactive approach, re-engineering their supply chains to integrate water-efficient technologies, ensure sustainable sourcing, and enforce wastewater reuse standards across their vendor ecosystems. Here are several practical and impactful strategies that companies can implement to reduce water risks and contribute to a sustainable future:

Sustainable water sourcing

The first step in water stewardship is understanding where and how water is drawn. Businesses must prioritise sourcing from sustainable and low-impact water sources, be it rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge systems, or municipal recycled water. Conducting Water Risk Assessments (WRAs) across the supply chain can help identify hotspots and take preventive measures before a crisis strikes.

Water-efficient manufacturing

Reducing water consumption at the process level remains a crucial intervention. Adopting closed-loop water systems, investing in water-efficient technologies, and retrofitting existing systems with smart meters and low-flow fixtures can significantly curb usage. In sectors such as textiles, chemicals, and food processing, where water use is intensive, this can lead to both conservation and cost savings.

Wastewater recovery and reuse

A linchpin of the circular water economy is wastewater reuse. Treating greywater and blackwater to a standard suitable for reuse, whether in irrigation, cooling, flushing, or even in industrial processes, is no longer a futuristic concept but an achievable goal. As membrane bioreactor (MBR) and reverse osmosis (RO) technology progress, zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems become more viable.

Community water partnerships

Beyond internal efficiency, companies can drive impact by supporting local water projects. Engaging with communities, whether through pond rejuvenation, check dam construction or sanitation access, creates goodwill while helping regional water security.

Digital water management

Digitalisation offers a transformative pathway for water efficiency. Smart water grids, IoT-based sensors, real-time monitoring, and AI-powered analytics can help with predictive maintenance, leak detection, and usage optimisation. This visibility empowers companies to make data-driven decisions, improving accountability and performance.

Employee and community engagement

Water literacy among employees, suppliers, and surrounding communities fosters a culture of conservation. Internal campaigns, community awareness drives, and school education initiatives can build lasting behavioural changes. 

Government initiatives, such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Namami Gange, are enhancing infrastructure for water access and quality. There is increasing encouragement for industries to install ETPs, adopt ZLD, and engage in water credits and trading mechanisms. The State Water & Sanitation Missions (SWSMs) collaborate closely with public and private players to deliver drinking water and sanitation services to rural and semi-urban populations. This expanding ecosystem offers fertile ground for public-private collaboration and the deployment of technology.

Voltas, through its subsidiary UMPESL, has engaged in initiatives that reflect the circular water ethos. Treated drinking water is being distributed to several villages through rural water supply projects commissioned in Ayodhya and Deoria under the State Water and Sanitation Mission. Similarly, internal facilities are adopting measures like zero-liquid discharge, wastewater recycling for horticulture, and partnerships for common effluent treatment in industrial estates. Voltas has aligned itself with the Tata Group’s Project Aalingana—a bold ambition to achieve Net Zero by 2045 and become water-neutral by 2030. Their Waghodia factory is equipped with a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system, ensuring that not a single drop of wastewater goes unutilised. Meanwhile, in Pantnagar, operations are integrated with a common Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), demonstrating efficient collective water management.

India’s journey towards a water-secure future hinges on how quickly industries embrace the circular model. Turning wastewater into a sustainable resource is no longer a lofty ideal—it is a practical, scalable, and essential approach to managing our most precious resource. Businesses must move from intention to action—embedding water circularity into their core strategy, operations, and culture. By doing so, they will not only future-proof their growth but also contribute to a broader ecological and social transformation. After all, in a world of scarcity, circularity is not just sustainability—it is survival.

For more information, visit: https://www.umpesl.com/