72% of urban wastewater in India flows into water bodies, land untreated: Report

NEW DELHI: A meagre 28 per cent of the urban wastewater and sewage generated in India undergoes treatment while the rest flows directly into rivers, lakes and land, according to a report by the think tank Centre for Science and Environment. India's urban water crisis could ease if all the wastewater is treated and reused, the report released here on Monday said.

Rajiv Kumar Mital, Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), said, "Using and disposing of treated water without harnessing its potential means we are losing out on utilising an important resource. The challenge is to scale up and ensure that the work we do in this sector is impactful."

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Director General Sunita Narain said India faces significant water scarcity challenges due to rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, population expansion and, most importantly, climate change.


"Wastewater reuse can be a key part of the strategy to address these concerns and promote water circularity and sustainability."

"In fact, there is an opportunity for turning wastewater into water again and this is what our report's title -- Waste to Worth -- is referring to," Narain added.

The Jal Shakti Ministry has mandated that cities must recycle and reuse at least 20 per cent of the water they consume.

Subrata Chakraborty, senior programme manager, water programme, CSE, said, "This is in line with the belief that promoting a circular economy is essential for achieving a sustainable and climate-resilient future and for managing the ever-growing demand for freshwater."