Why India Must Tap Its Wastewater Prospects

India's water and wastewater treatment market, valued at $13.1 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $23.85 billion by 2033.

- Amit Mitra

This number mirrors India's accelerating urbanization, climate fragility, and industrial thirst. In 2020, urban centers generated over 72.4 billion liters per day (BLD) of sewage; yet, the installed treatment capacity stood at just 31.84 BLD. The deficit of over 40 BLD represents a staggering gap in basic infrastructure. Progress here is unbalanced: Maharashtra treated over 8 BLD in end-2023, while Bihar treated under 0.4 BLD, despite comparable population pressures.

A country that aims to supply piped drinking water to every rural household continues to lose billions of liters of water daily because of inadequate treatment and reuse mechanisms. Can a water-secure India ever emerge if it continues to ignore wastewater?

India's industrial sector is a major player in this landscape. The industrial wastewater treatment sub-market was worth $1.44 billion in 2023 and is set to touch $2.4 billion by 2033.

Sewage treatment, meanwhile, remains the second-largest segment, growing from $5.01 billion in 2023 to a projected $9.08 billion by 2033. Water treatment, including desalination and recycling plants, dominates, climbing from $6.65 billion to $12.37 billion in the same period. This layered growth hints at the simultaneous pressures of urban expansion, rising demand for potable water, and tighter environmental mandates.