India is tackling head-on the challenges posed by the increasing scarcity of water resources and a rapid increase in waste production. The causes of these new challenges are climate change, a rapidly increasing population and growing urbanisation, combined with fast economic and industrial growth. By providing solutions for sustainable management of the country’s resources, SUEZ is a key partner for local authorities and industry.
Currently, 163 million Indians do not have safe access to drinking water. Only 16% of households (27 million homes) benefit from a water distribution system. By 2020, India is likely to feature on the list of countries with water shortages. Waste management is also a key concern. Of the 62 million tonnes of waste produced every year, only 20% is treated and 30 million tonnes end up as landfill.
In 2050, 50% of Indians will live in a city.
By 2030, seven major cities including New Delhi will be home to 36 million people. Faced with rapidly rising urbanisation, the water treatment facilities in a number of cities have become inadequate.
70% of urban wastewater and 50% of industrial effluents are not treated. Protection of water sources (rivers, water tables etc.) from pollution caused by untreated wastewater is a significant hygiene and environmental challenge.
By 2030, demand for industrial water will have doubled, yet water resources are becoming scarcer. Annual growth in the country’s demand for industrial water is likely to reach 4.5% within the next 15 years, taking total demand to 120 billion cubic metres.
For over 30 years, SUEZ has been helping local authorities and industry to develop resource management solutions, particularly through contracts to build and operate facilities and to improve drinking water distribution services and by developing alternative resources, such as by reusing wastewater.
SUEZ supplies drinking water and sanitation services to a number of large cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata.
Key figures:
SUEZ has built and operates two drinking water production plants: the 635,000 m3/day Sonia Vihar plant and another at Wazirabad (55,000 m3/day), which between them provide drinking water to 4 million inhabitants. Since March 2017, SUEZ has also been providing a constant (24/7) supply of water to the 400,000 people living in Malviya Nagar neighbourhood.
>> New Delhi drinking water sypply 24 hours a day
In Bangalore, the Indian equivalent of Silicon Valley, the Group built and operates drinking water plants with a total capacity of 1.5 million m3/day and wastewater treatment plants with a capacity of 175,000 m3/day. Since 2013, SUEZ has been improving drinking water distribution services for 500,000 inhabitants by using the helium gas technique to significantly reduce network leaks.
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[Infography] India overcoming the environmental challenges to become...