Industrial need for water in Gujarat is likely to rise three times by 2050. The Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB) has forecast a dramatic rise in industrial water demand over the next 25 years.
The report says even if aggressive water-efficient manufacturing practices are implemented, the industrial water demand is expected to nearly double. However, if the current industrialisation model is continued, the demand could potentially skyrocket to more than three times the current levels.
These findings are part of a comprehensive assessment submitted by GIDB to the state government.
In view of the impending revision of Narmada water distribution among stakeholder states by the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT), the Gujarat government has instructed all departments to furnish their projected water requirements. The state is compiling this data to be presented to NWDT.
Under the current fiscal year 2023-24, Gujarat’s industrial water allocation stands at 3,723.06 million litres per day (MLD). According to GIDB’s projections, in a “business as usual” scenario, demand will climb to 6,008 MLD by 2050. If “sustainable growth” practices are adopted, the demand could reach 7,081 MLD. However, in a scenario of “rapid industrialisation”, the demand could surge to a staggering 11,946 MLD.
Gujarat’s rapid urbanisation and industrial growth are heavily reliant on water resources, with more than half of the state’s industrial output originating from water-intensive sectors such as chemicals, food and beverages, textiles, pharmaceuticals and automobiles.
Currently, Gujarat treats 4,075.97 MLD of sewage, with 1,190.87 MLD reused for purposes like irrigation, gardening and industrial production. Of this, 417.4 MLD —35.04% of the reused water — is allocated specifically for industrial use, representing 11.21% of the state’s total industrial water allocation.
Furthermore, industries in Gujarat also rely on treated water from effluent treatment plants (ETPs) or common effluent treatment plants (CETPs) as an additional water source. As of Feb 2023, Gujarat had 36 operational CETPs with a combined capacity exceeding 800MLD, catering to more than 6,483 individual industrial units.
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