In a country where water scarcity is both a rural crisis and an industrial liability, few sectors are as thirsty and as scrutinised as the aluminium industry. With primary aluminium production requiring anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 litres of water per tonne, efficient water use isn’t just an operational concern; it’s a socio-environmental imperative. While reliance on dated, extractive water systems and rudimentary discharge mechanisms usage remains a key focus area to work upon as an industry, Vedanta Aluminium has helmed sustainable operations with a narrative of an apt blend of recycling, zero-liquid discharge, and community water stewardship.
What typically happens to water in aluminium production
Water is integral across the aluminium value chain, from dust suppression during bauxite mining to digestion and cooling in alumina refining and then again in the smelting and casting stages. Unfortunately, during a major chunk of the period, for many industrial corridors across India and globally, water has been used linearly: draw, use, and discharge. Contaminated water, laden with caustic soda, red mud residues, or fluorides, may be stored in tailings ponds or released with inadequate treatment, risking groundwater contamination and environmental degradation. This model has historically clashed with agricultural communities that depend on the same freshwater sources in areas like Odisha and Chhattisgarh.