Lok Sabha Question No. 2485 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-13
Subject: Reuse of Water
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Dharmendra Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

## DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2485

## ANSWERED ON 13.03.2025

## REUSE OF WATER

## †2485. SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether the country is facing challenges of water scarcity due to rapid urbanization, industrial development, population expansion and most importantly climate change, if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  mandated  that  cities  must  reuse  at  least  twenty  percent  of  the  water  they consume, if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether the Union Government has issued any directives to State Governments in this regard, if so, the details thereof;

(d)  whether  any  response  has  been  received  from  State  Governments,  particularly  Uttar  Pradesh,  if  so,  the details thereof;

(e) the names of the States that have failed to reuse twenty percent of the water they consume; and

(f) the steps taken by the Union Government to promote water circularity and sustainability?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

## ( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  to  (f) The average annual water availability of any  region or country is largely dependent upon hydrometeorological and geological factors, however, water availability per person is dependent on population of a country. There are challenges to meet the increasing water demand on account of rapid urbanization, industrial development, population expansion etc. Per capita water availability in the country is reducing due to increase in  population.  Based  on  the  study  titled  'Reassessment  of  Water  Availability  in  India  using  Space  Inputs, 2019' conducted by Central Water Commission, the average annual per capita water availability for year 2021 and 2031 has been assessed as 1486 cubic meter and 1367 cubic meter respectively. Annual per-capita water availability of less than 1700 cubic meter is considered as water stressed condition whereas annual per-capita water availability below 1000 cubic meters is considered as a water scarcity condition.

'Water' being a State subject, steps for augmentation, conservation and  efficient management of water resources are primarily undertaken by the respective State Governments. In order to supplement the efforts of the State Governments, Union Government provides technical and financial assistance to them through various schemes and programs.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) under Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti has developed a 'National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water' to guide States in formulating their reuse policies and to establish economic models for the reuse of

treated water. NMCG has also a guidance handbook for urban policymakers and city officials on safely reusing treated  water,  which  aims  to  conserve  freshwater  resources  and  promote  sustainable  water  management practices. Notably, 8 MLD treated water from the Trans Yamuna STP is supplied to the Mathura Refinery for non-potable purposes and two thermal plants of Pragati Power Corporation Ltd, Delhi and Jojobera Thermal power plant, Jharkhand are using treated water of nearby STPs.

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has persuaded the concerned States, including the State of Uttar Pradesh to formulate the State Policy for Safe Re-use of Treated Water. In response, the State Mission for Clean Ganga -UP (SMCG-UP) has initiated the process in this regard.

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme, which has been launched on 01 October, 2021 for the period of 05 years i.e. from the financial year 2021-22 to the financial year 2025-26, is designed to provide universal coverage of water supply through functional taps to all households in all the statutory towns in the country and coverage of sewerage/septage management in 500 cities covered in the first phase  of  the  AMRUT  scheme.  Under  reforms  agenda  of  Atal  Mission  for  Rejuvenation  and  Urban Transformation 2.0 (AMRUT 2.0), reforms on water conservation envisages recycle of treated wastewater to meet 20% of the total city water demand and 40% of industry water demand in aggregate at the State level.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has issued the guidelines vide Notification No. 3209(E) dated 24.09.2020 for  regulation  of  groundwater  extraction  by  industries,  infrastructure  and  mining  projects  have  following provisions/ directives to promote reuse of water.

- i. Conditions  in  the  NOC  issued  by  CGWA  include  the  condition  that  'Wherever  feasible, requirement  of  water  for  greenbelt  (horticulture)  shall  be  met  from  recycled/  treated  waste water'.
- ii. Project Proponent has to pay Groundwater Abstraction/ Restoration Charges for obtaining NOC from Central Ground Water Authority. Levying of charges for extracting groundwater leads to judicious use of groundwater/ water by Project Proponents through recycle/ reuse of water and reduce wastage of water.
- iii. Infrastructure projects drawing groundwater 20 Kilo Litre per Day (KLD) or more are required to install STP and use the treated water for greenbelt development/ washing of cars etc.

To promote water circularity and sustainability, CPCB has prepared and implemented charters which is  a  participatory  approach in water intensive industrial sectors namely Pulp & Paper (2012 & 2015), Sugar (2018), Distillery (2018), Textile (2019 & 2022), and Tannery (2022) in the Ganga basin which resulted in reduction  in  fresh  water  consumption,  waste  water  discharge  &  pollution  load  through  enhanced  water  use efficiency.  Charter  implementation  has  resulted  in  reduction  in  specific  freshwater  consumption  by  42%  in Pulp & Paper sector, 73% in sugar mills, 66% in distilleries and 76% in textile in 2023. All molasses-based distilleries in the Ganga basin have achieved Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). CPCB has prepared 'Guidelines for Utilization of Treated Effluent in Irrigation'.

Various Steps taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and other Central Ministries for Water conservation, Control and regulation of ground water and to promote rainwater harvesting / artificial recharge etc. can be seen at URL:

https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3a70dc40477bc2adceef4d2c90f47eb82/uploads/2024/07/20240716706354487. pdf

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