SMPL

New Delhi [India], June 10: Water is fast becoming one of the most critical resources of the 21st century. As climate change intensifies and water resources become more finite, the need for responsible water management has never been more urgent. Industry leaders today are actively exploring avenues not only to reduce consumption but also contribute positively to the ecosystems they operate in. In this context, Vedanta Aluminium - India's largest aluminium producer - is emerging as a leader in sustainable water stewardship. With a vision to become water positive by 2030, the company is redefining how business growth can closely align with environmental responsibility.

Vedanta Aluminium has deployed among the most impactful water stewardship programmes in India's modern industrial landscape, by making water management a cornerstone of its sustainability journey - demonstrated most notably by the recycling of over 16 billion litres of water across its operations in FY25 alone. To put that into perspective, that's roughly the volume of 6,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Achieving this scale of reuse is no small feat and reflects a highly disciplined approach to resource management, where every drop is accounted for. With a recycling rate of 15%, Vedanta is setting new benchmarks in water efficiency, deploying innovative technologies and processes to ensure long-term resilience.

The company's strategy rests on four pillars - rigorous water monitoring, maximum reuse, community access, and zero discharge. Within its operations, Vedanta's commitment to water security is defined by scale and technology. The company operates Odisha's largest industrial Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant at its Jharsuguda plant, as part of its Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) approach - ensuring that all wastewater generated through its operations is treated and reused within the plant. This is backed by systems like high-concentration slurry disposal (HCSD) for maximising water recycling and high-efficiency cooling towers that minimise reliance on freshwater. Treated water from an advanced sewage treatment plant is reused for green belt development, while additional rainwater harvesting structures and reservoirs have been developed as well. These efforts are geared towards building long-term water resilience through excellence and innovation.

Yet the company's vision for sustainable resource consumption goes far beyond its plant gates. Through Project Sangam in Kalahandi, Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium is transforming community water infrastructure in some of India's most remote regions. The project aims to bring reliable irrigation to over 3,500 acres of land under cultivation in the region by increasing the water storage potential and groundwater recharge rate, ensuring that over 22,000 people are able to benefit from the project year-round. In the past year, Vedanta Aluminium has renovated numerous community ponds across both Odisha and Chhattisgarh to boost water storage capacity in rural areas.

Through focused community development programmes, Vedanta Aluminium is empowering farmers with climate-smart agricultural practices like drip irrigation, helping conserve another 1 lakh cubic meters of water while improving crop yields. Undertaken in association with NABARD the project is strengthening the foundation for sustainable farming in Odisha. Most recently, the company has installed bio-toilets, solar-powered bore-wells, and water purifiers across key locations in the Kuraloi region under its Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiative, benefitting over 5,500 community members by addressing critical needs such as community access to potable water.

All of these initiatives are geared towards a singular vision: to become Water Positive by 2030. For Vedanta Aluminium, this means not just reducing its own water footprint but creating a broader impact in the regions it operates. By building climate-resilient assets, the company is aligning its operational needs with grassroots development. Vedanta is actively engaging with global technology providers, government institutions and farmers to make water sustainability a shared mission.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)