<p><strong>New Delhi, January 8, 2025</strong>: As India gears up for its next phase of economic expansion, water not capital or land will emerge as the most decisive growth driver. In the coming decade, water will not just support growth it will decide it, said Malu Kamble, Managing Director of Hyderabad based KEP Engineering, underlining that water security will shape industrial competitiveness, urban resilience, and sustainable development.</p><p>“Water is the new gold of India’s economy. The next growth cycle will not be defined by markets or investment alone, but by who has assured access to water,” Kamble said, citing rising water stress, climate variability, and expanding industrial demand.</p><p>India’s regulatory framework reflects this urgent shift. Bulk water consumers including industries, institutions, and large residential societies must reuse 20% of treated wastewater by 2027–28 and 50% by 2030–31, with compliance monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards.</p><p>“This is a structural change, not symbolic. For the first time, wastewater reuse is a measurable business obligation. Water management now sits alongside energy efficiency, emissions, and governance as a strategic priority,” Malu Kamble said.</p><p>The reuse targets are aligned with the National Mission for Clean Ganga, which mandates up to 50% reuse in areas with operational Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).</p><p>“Treated water must be reused productively, not discharged. Rivers cannot be the endpoint of urban and industrial wastewater anymore. If you can’t find value in industrial liquid waste, you have no value for water then. In a water-stressed country like India, every drop reused strengthens industrial resilience. Treated wastewater can support cooling, process applications, construction, irrigation, and non-potable urban use,” Malu Kamble added.</p><p>KEP Engineering, headquartered in Hyderabad, is a leader in advanced liquid waste management, serving over 600 clients across 35 industrial sectors. Its technology portfolio includes Multi-Effect Evaporators (MEE), Agitated Thin Film Dryers (ATFD), Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVRE), Condensate Integrated Gas Recovery (CIGAR), and customised Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). With in-house R&D, KEP has optimised these systems to reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and minimise carbon footprints. Clients in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel, textiles, power, food processing, and solar manufacturing can recover up to 90% of wastewater, cutting tanker-water dependency and reducing environmental impact.</p>
<p><strong>New Delhi, January 8, 2025</strong>: As India gears up for its next phase of economic expansion, water not capital or land will emerge as the most decisive growth driver. In the coming decade, water will not just support growth it will decide it, said Malu Kamble, Managing Director of Hyderabad based KEP Engineering, underlining that water security will shape industrial competitiveness, urban resilience, and sustainable development.</p><p>“Water is the new gold of India’s economy. The next growth cycle will not be defined by markets or investment alone, but by who has assured access to water,” Kamble said, citing rising water stress, climate variability, and expanding industrial demand.</p><p>India’s regulatory framework reflects this urgent shift. Bulk water consumers including industries, institutions, and large residential societies must reuse 20% of treated wastewater by 2027–28 and 50% by 2030–31, with compliance monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards.</p><p>“This is a structural change, not symbolic. For the first time, wastewater reuse is a measurable business obligation. Water management now sits alongside energy efficiency, emissions, and governance as a strategic priority,” Malu Kamble said.</p><p>The reuse targets are aligned with the National Mission for Clean Ganga, which mandates up to 50% reuse in areas with operational Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs).</p><p>“Treated water must be reused productively, not discharged. Rivers cannot be the endpoint of urban and industrial wastewater anymore. If you can’t find value in industrial liquid waste, you have no value for water then. In a water-stressed country like India, every drop reused strengthens industrial resilience. Treated wastewater can support cooling, process applications, construction, irrigation, and non-potable urban use,” Malu Kamble added.</p><p>KEP Engineering, headquartered in Hyderabad, is a leader in advanced liquid waste management, serving over 600 clients across 35 industrial sectors. Its technology portfolio includes Multi-Effect Evaporators (MEE), Agitated Thin Film Dryers (ATFD), Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVRE), Condensate Integrated Gas Recovery (CIGAR), and customised Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs). With in-house R&D, KEP has optimised these systems to reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and minimise carbon footprints. Clients in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel, textiles, power, food processing, and solar manufacturing can recover up to 90% of wastewater, cutting tanker-water dependency and reducing environmental impact.</p>