Sustainable Growth Through Collective Action: A Blueprint For Industry-Led Water Management

With COP29 underway, the urgency of tackling climate change and resource scarcity is clear. Key themes such as integrated water management, urban water resilience, water security, climate adaptation and national climate policies highlight the need for action. In countries like India, where economic growth is tied to environmental sustainability, effective resource management is a business imperative.

Companies adopting strong environmental practices see added economic value, as business growth and sustainability are increasingly interlinked. To prevent resource depletion and threshold breaches, businesses must prioritize optimising resource use through a multi-faceted approach.

However, for such efforts to create a wide-ranging impact in the long term, it is important to leverage the power of collective action and responsibility as an agent of change. Such collaborative partnership between multiple stakeholders to work together towards a greener future will not only ensure equity and sustainability in resource allocation and use in the short term, but also help better tackle urgent environmental challenges that can affect business in the long term, on a much larger scale.

According to the UN’s Interconnected Disaster Risks Report 2023, India is approaching a critical point in groundwater management. Niti Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index suggests that per capita water availability will decrease to 1341 m3 by 2025 and 1140 m3 by 2050, nearing the threshold for water scarcity. With climate change and growing demand putting pressure on groundwater tables, Indian industries are making conscious efforts to use this resource efficiently while taking steps to conserve and replenish it.

According to FICCI Water Mission’s ‘Water Use in Indian Industry’, over 60% of industries surveyed undertook water audits to assess water use patterns in their operations and implement water conservation measures including rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and wastewater treatment. At ABB India, we aim to lead the charge by employing an innovative tech-led approach towards groundwater replenishment across our manufacturing facilities to ensure water neutrality/positivity in the regions in which we operate.

At ABB India, our initiatives towards resource conservation with a focus on attaining water positivity began with our state-of-the-art campus in Nelamangala, a semi-urban area near Bengaluru. Developed primarily as an industrial hub, Nelamangala hosts several factories, warehouses and offices. Bengaluru, by virtue of being land-locked, is keenly dependent on groundwater and borewells to fulfil around 50% of daily water requirements.

By making concerted efforts to invest in groundwater recharge and water conservation, we are making a noticeable difference in the region. To illustrate, our Nelamangala campus was among the first in the industrial region to be certified ‘Water Positive’ by the GRIHA Council, in association with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). With a Water Positive Index (WPI) of 1.24, the Nelamangala campus is highest rated on this index among our other plants.

The benefits of the 6R approach were observed in an increase in groundwater levels in and around the factory premises by almost 40% compared with the baseline of 2023.

With a total annual rainwater harvesting potential of more than 200 million liters, the factory has witnessed a yearly reduction in overall water demand of 27% by 2023 as compared to a 2019 baseline. This is clearly evidenced by over 30% reduction in freshwater use per capita at Nelamangala, a goal we aim to realize in all our factories by 2030.

With more regions becoming water-stressed, the only route to sustainability will be focused on water conservation campaigns and the implementation of sustainable water management practices. Industries and communities working closely together can influence policy-level changes towards scientific water governance. This will help replenish groundwater faster than its decline, ensuring a better quality of life for all.

Organisations can begin by building a community of multiple stakeholders and implementing periodic assessments to prioritize needs and allocate resources flexibly, while fostering innovations that drive continuous improvement. By capturing and analysing relevant data, organisations can monitor resource use and make informed, timely decisions.

The use of digital tools to track emissions, usage-specific KPIs, and success metrics both internally and across the supply chain is equally crucial. Additionally, leveraging technology and automation can enhance the efficient allocation and utilisation of resources, ensuring sustainable and optimised operations.

Rajesh Kumar Jha is Country Environment & Sustainability Manager at ABB India.