Amidst rising concerns over water security, a new study by CEEW underlines the potential and value of treated wastewater
According to a recent independent assessment by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), the market value of treated wastewater in India will be Rs.830 million in 2025 and Rs 1.9 billion in 2050 if we have the means to sell it to certain sectors.
Water security is a major concern in India due to the country's rapidly growing population and increasing demand for water. With an increasing population, India is already facing a severe water crisis, with many parts of the country experiencing water scarcity and droughts.
The situation is further complicated by issues such as climate change, inefficient water management practices, and pollution of water bodies. India's agriculture sector, which accounts for more than 80% of its water usage, is also under threat due to water scarcity. Against this backdrop, India needs to adopt sustainable water management practices, one of which could be using treated wastewater.
The recent study by the think tank CEEW, 'Reuse of Treated Wastewater in India', underlines the significance of incorporating treated wastewater into the fold.
Based on anticipated sewage generation and treatment capacities, India will produce more than 35,000 million cubic metres of wastewater by 2050. This has a tonne of possibilities for reuse. By 2050, this water, if purified, could irrigate 26 times the area of New Delhi, shows the report.
According to the study, 28 million metric tonnes (MT) of selected horticulture crops' output could have been produced in 2021 by irrigating them with the available treated wastewater. Further sales of this product may have brought in Rs. 966 billion. Also, using wastewater for irrigation in 2021 would have prevented the emission of 1.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) and 50 million rupees worth of fertiliser.
Nitin Bassi, Programme Lead, CEEW, said, “At 1,486 cubic meters of water available per capita per annum, India is a water-stressed country. Promoting the reuse of treated wastewater will reduce pressure on freshwater resources and lead to several benefits and positive externalities. There is a huge market potential for reusing it for irrigation alone provided financially viable models are developed to scale up wastewater treatment and reuse.”
In 2021, 1.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions might have been avoided by reusing TWW in irrigation. As per the research, 1.38 Mha of groundwater-irrigated land would have received 1.38 Mha of irrigation from the treated wastewater that was available in 2021, which would have reduced pumping in 3.5% of the area. Also, this would have resulted in a million tonnes less of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, because TWW naturally contains nutrients, less fertiliser would have been needed, which would have decreased GHG emissions by 0.3 million tonnes.
Reviewing existing state policies on treated wastewater reuse, the study highlights that only 10 states in India, have a policy for the reuse of treated wastewater. Most of these state regulations lack incentives for wastewater end users and don't specify quality requirements for reusing wastewater.
Saiba Gupta, Research Analyst, CEEW, said, “Provisions for treated wastewater quality standards in state policies are limited to safe discharge standards. All Indian states must define reuse-specific wastewater treatment standards for safe reuse across different sectors. Finally, states should develop effective outreach plans to build public confidence and nudge behaviour for the successful implementation of wastewater reuse projects.”
The CEEW report suggests including wastewater in all policies, strategies, and regulations pertaining to water management in India because it is a crucial component of the country's water resources. A risk-reducing strategy and a regular review process must be in place together with well-defined water quality standards for both safe discharge and reuse. Urban municipal governments should have the authority to create and enact comprehensive plans for the reuse of wastewater at the city level, with roles and duties clearly defined.