Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management

As India’s cities continue to expand, advanced wastewater treatment will be essential to achieving long-term sustainability, safeguarding public health, and preserving our natural resources for generations to come.

Advanced wastewater treatment technologies for a sustainable future

In the quest for environmental sustainability, effective wastewater management has emerged as a critical challenge, especially in urban regions like Delhi NCR. DRIIV is dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address these challenges. In the journey toward environmental sustainability, advanced wastewater treatment is pivotal, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions like Delhi NCR. Wastewater, if inadequately treated, not only pollutes our precious water resources but also disrupts ecosystems, endangers human health, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Urban centres face an urgent need to address these challenges to ensure a sustainable and habitable future.

Key challenges in urban wastewater management

Urban areas, particularly megacities like Delhi, grapple with vast quantities of wastewater produced daily. Managing this wastewater effectively is complex due to high population density, inadequate infrastructure, and a variety of pollutants, including chemicals from industrial sources, pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants like microplastics.
Rapid urban growth: Urban population generate enormous quantities of wastewater. For instance, Indian cities produce around 72,368 million liters per day (MLD) of wastewater, with only about 37% treated effectively, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Rapid urbanization exacerbates this issue, leading to substantial increase in wastewater generation in the coming decades.
Inadequate infrastructure: Insufficient treatment infrastructure struggles to handle increasing wastewater loads. A 2019 report by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) revealed that only about 35% of sewage treatment plants in Indian cities operate at full capacity, while many are outdated or poorly maintained, leading to untreated or partially treated wastewater entering water bodies.
Emerging contaminants: Modern wastewater includes complex pollutants such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and microplastics. These contaminants are often not removed by conventional treatment methods, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health. For example, a study published in Water Research found that conventional treatment processes capture only a fraction of pharmaceuticals, leading to their accumulation in rivers and groundwater.
Lack of adequate financial resources: Effective wastewater management requires significant investment. According to estimates from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in India, addressing wastewater infrastructure needs in urban areas could require more than ₹75,000 crore ($10 billion) over the next decade. Limited budgets often lead to underfunded projects and insufficient maintenance, especially in smaller municipalities.
Energy-intensive treatment: Wastewater treatment is energy-intensive, with the energy costs accounting for up to 30% of total operational expenses for many treatment plants. This challenge is pronounced in urban areas with high treatment demands, as plants often rely on fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions and increasing operational costs.
Water scarcity and reuse limitations: In water-scarce cities, treated wastewater can be a valuable resource, yet recycling rates remain low. Although Delhi’s master plan targets 80% reuse of treated wastewater by 2031, current recycling is less than 30%, due to infrastructure gaps, lack of public awareness, and limited policy incentives.
Health risks: Untreated or inadequately treated wastewater pollutes rivers and lakes, impacting ecosystems and human health. In India, around 70% of surface water is considered polluted, largely due to urban wastewater discharge. Health risks include exposure to pathogens, chemicals, and heavy metals, with diseases like cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis linked to polluted water.

The role of DRIIV in addressing wastewater challenges: Toward a Circular Economy

DRIIV leverages the expertise of scientists, technologists, and industry leaders to promote innovative, scalable wastewater treatment technologies designed to tackle the region's pressing water pollution issues. Advanced treatment technologies not only purify water but also enable the recovery of valuable resources from wastewater. Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus can be extracted for use as fertilizers, while energy can be harnessed through anaerobic digestion, a process that produces biogas from organic matter in wastewater. This shift toward a circular economy reduces environmental impact, conserves resources, and creates economic opportunities.

DRIIV is actively supporting the research, implementation, and dissemination of these advanced technologies. By fostering partnerships between academia, government, and industry, DRIIV aims to develop a resilient wastewater infrastructure for Delhi NCR. Through pilot programs, workshops, and collaborative innovation, DRIIV is transforming wastewater from an environmental burden into a valuable resource, driving India toward a greener future.