Recent developments in #waterstressedstatesofKeralaandTamilNadu culminating in the boycott of beverages of multinational companies like Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. have led to disturbing conditions. These companies are accused of siphoning off #groundwater and selling products tainted with pesticides. The latest action means drinks from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, which together have a 96 percent hold on India’s $4.9 billion soda market, will be kept off the shelves of more than 1 million shops.
Undoubtedly, both the soft drink majors Pepsi and Coca-Cola had argued that the quantum of water they consume is minuscule when compared to the host of companies in the region and they claim they are being unjustifiably targeted, an argument that has been accepted even by the Madras High Court; nevertheless, many analysts opine that these companies have become scapegoats for a #watercrisis that’s become mired in politics and patriotism. However, these developments have also given rise to many issues like need for a concrete water policy for industrial sector, emphasis on treatment of the #industrialwastewaterforrecycling for reuse etc.
#GrowingDemand
Industrial sector in India has emerged as the second highest consumer of #water after #agriculture and the major sources of water for the industrial sector are #groundwater and #surfacewater. Groundwater has emerged as an important source to meet the water requirements of industries, especially in the wake of fast pace of pollution of surface water resources. However, choice of source of water depends on the availability of sufficient and regular supply of water and the cost of water from the source.
In the wake of #industrialdevelopment gathering momentum, demand for industrial water is mounting. Broad estimates show that industrial sector consumes an average of 6 per cent of freshwater per annum – while the annual growth in the chemical industry and construction has been around 9 per cent, it has been around 6 per cent in textile and food since the 1990s and 5 per cent in paper and paper products industry – this demand is likely to surge in view of expansion of industrial base in the country.
There are conflicting estimates of water consumption by the industrial sector in India. According to the Union Ministry of Water Resources, the industrial sector accounts for about six per cent of the total freshwater abstraction at the beginning of this century, and the Central Pollution Control Board (#CPCB) reports that the figure may be eight per cent. Nonetheless, the #WorldBank estimates show that the current industrial water use in India is about 13 per cent of the total freshwater withdrawal in the country and the water demand for industrial uses and #energyproduction will grow at a rate of 4.2 per cent per year, rising from 67 billion cubic metres in 1999 to 228 billion cubic metres by 2025. All these estimates indicate that the industrial water demand is bound to grow in the coming years.
Menace of Water Pollution
#Pollutionofgroundwaterandsurfacewaterresources has been on the increase over the years. Industries not only consume water but also pollute it. Broad estimates show that bulk of #industrialwastes is dumped without treatment, especially in #developingcountries, thereby polluting the usable water supply. According to one expert opinion, on an average, each litre of wastewater discharged further pollutes about 5–8 litres of water which raises the share of industrial water use to somewhere between 35–50 per cent of the total water used in India, and not the 7–8 per cent that is considered as the industrial water use.
Some analysts opine that there is extensive increase in water use and wastewater disposal in the absence of clear environmental policies as well as fragmented responsibility and control over water used for industrial purposes. The future demand entails likelihood of exerting pressure on the available freshwater resources, both due to #waterconsumption and #waterpollution. India already scores poorly in terms of #industrialwaterproductivity.
Lack of effective regulations and coordination between regulatory bodies’ leads to mismanagement of industrial water problem, which is further compounded by dearth of incentives provided to industry for efficient water use. Resultant impact becomes discernible in conflicts between industry and local communities over water allocation and water pollution. Water is a finite source and in the wake of #shrinkingglaciers, #depletionofgroundwaterresources and #pollutionofgroundandsurfacewaterresources, the increasing demand for water by different sectors of economy can’t keep pace with its supply. In the wake of #waterscarcity, #domestic, #agricultural, and #industrialwaterneeds are pitted against each other and the resultant conflicts between these sectors may become unmanageable if water related issues are not addressed now.
#NeedforIndustrialWaterPolicy
Subject of water in India is dealt with by a multiplicity of authorities/ministries having different mandates which are not clearly defined and overlapping. The #MinistryofWaterResource (#MoWR) is the apex ministry responsible for water in India but water pollution does not fall under its purview, nor does the industrial use of water. Undoubtedly, the #MinistryofIndustry (MoI) is concerned with the planning and development of water resources for industrial use; nevertheless, it has no mandate to control or regulate water use by industries.
The task of regulating the #groundwaterquality and #quantity in the country is entrusted to the Central Groundwater Board (#CGWB), which has mandate to do what it can with groundwater; however, it has so far only mapped the groundwater status. It has no mandate to charge for industrial groundwater use. While the Central Pollution Control Board (#CPCB) and state pollution control boards (#SPCBs) regulate #industrialwaterpollution and charge water cess based on the amount of #wastewaterdischarged by the companies, they are not mandated to control sourcing of water from various sources. Resultantly, #waterconservation and #pollutioncontrolmeasures have thus far not shown any significant success.
Admittedly, several industries have launched zero-discharge projects in their factories/plants; nonetheless, many others still continue to discharge effluents without treatment. Some experts opine that it is imperative for industries to adopt self-monitoring and regulation mechanism to continue to grow in a #sustainablemanner. It also devolves on industry associations like FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM to facilitate dissemination of best practices in #waterandwastewatermanagement. These aspects should constitute main paradigms of new industrial water policy in India.
Way Forward
#Water is a finite resource and in order to meet mounting demands of #waterinagriculture, #industry and #domesticsectors, emphasis has to be stressed on rainwater harvesting, encouraging judicious use of #waterresources, #keepingwaterresourcesfreefrompollution and #recyclingofwastewaterforreuse. The Government of India in 2015 required companies to obtain permission to use groundwater. In April 2016, the government said India would aim to reduce industrial water usage by half over five years by using newer technology to reuse, recover and #recyclewater. Relief for India’s tiring aquifers can’t come fast enough. More than a quarter of #groundwater systems are too salty, becoming depleted or are over-exploited, according to some experts. Besides, at least 75 percent of the country’s #rivers, #lakes and other #surfacewaterbodies are contaminated by human and #agriculturalwaste and #industrialeffluent.
The solution, amongst various other solutions, lies in chalking out a comprehensive #IndustrialWaterPolicy, which should address industrial water related issues in a holistic manner and it should be followed by the establishment of a #nationalnodalagency to coordinate with water related issues with other departments/agencies in a mode of #convergence. Lamenting that no noticeable changes to the protection of #freshwatersources is yet featuring on the Indian government’s agenda, Jenny Gronwall, program manager for water governance at Sweden’s #StockholmInternationalWaterInstitute, has suggested that a #reduce–#reuse–#recycle paradigm should be encouraged.
by #DrArvindKumarPresidentIndiaWaterFoundation
