Wastewater turning into resource: NMCG pitches circular water economy model
In a post on X on Monday, the Mission highlighted ongoing projects where treated sewage water replaces the use of fresh water in industrial operations.
“We were thinking about sewage all wrong. For decades, treated wastewater was something that had to be eliminated. A byproduct. A waste problem,” the post on the Namami Ganges branch of the mission read.
“NMCG has turned this around. Under the national framework for the safe reuse of treated water, treated sewage is now a resource and is already replacing fresh water in places where fresh water should never be wasted,” he added.
According to the Mission under Jal Shakti ministry, 8 million liters per day (MLD) of purified water from Trans Yamuna sewage treatment plant (STP) is being supplied to Mathura Refinery for industrial use.
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It was also mentioned that treated wastewater by Pragati Power Corporation in Delhi and Jojobera Thermal Power Plant in Jharkhand is reused for thermal and operational purposes using water from nearby STPs.
NMCG said the framework promotes the use of treated wastewater in industrial, agricultural and other non-potable sectors to reduce freshwater extraction from rivers and groundwater sources.
“A power plant doesn’t need potable-quality water to cool its turbines. A construction site doesn’t need water to mix concrete. A field doesn’t need it to irrigate. For all of these, treated wastewater works perfectly,” the post said.
The mission said the framework is supported by multiple policy and implementation mechanisms, including a national framework to help states formulate reuse policies, a guidance manual for urban policymakers and city managers, safety protocols for industrial, agricultural and non-potable uses, and economic models designed for sector-by-sector adoption.
He described the initiative as part of a “circular water future” in which wastewater collected and treated at sewage treatment plants (STPs) is converted into purified water effluent and reused for industrial and other non-potable purposes.
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According to the framework, this reduces freshwater demand across sectors by replacing freshwater use with treated wastewater. This process ultimately helps protect rivers and groundwater resources by reducing mineral extraction, improving ecosystem health and ensuring long-term water security, according to NMCG.
“And every liter of reused purified water is one less liter withdrawn from already stressed freshwater supplies,” the mission said.
“Wastewater is not the end of the line, it is the beginning of the next line,” the post added.
