ISKCON’S GEV earns 5-star for water conservation

Govardhan Eco Village (GEV), International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)s 100-acre spiritual retreat at Galtare in Wada, near Mumbai, has received a five-star rating from the Water Audit Council (WAC) for sustainable water management and conservation.

- Manoj Ramakrishnan

The Central Groundwater Water Authority, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, mandates water audits for organisations using over 100 million litres of groundwater annually to retain drilling licences. GEV, established in 2003, hosts around a million visitors yearly for spiritual events, organic farm tours, and extended retreats.

The audit awarded GEV a Water Use Efficiency Index of 0.99, distribution losses below 10%, and stormwater harvesting utilisation exceeding 70%, indicating nearly three-fourths of rainwater is captured. All indicators surpassed industry standards.