PPP Sewage Treatment Plant in Udaipur: Supplies treated water to company operations while protecting local water resources
Water Positive Milestone: Company achieves 3.32× water-positive status
Udaipur. Hindustan Zinc Limited (BSE: 500188, NSE: HINDZINC), India’s only and the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, has recycled 71 billion litres of treated sewage water between FY 2016–25, reducing freshwater use by 28%. This volume could meet Udaipur city’s water needs for over 500 days.
Operating in water-stressed Rajasthan, Hindustan Zinc demonstrates that industry growth can coexist with resource conservation. As a 3.32× water-positive company, it reuses all process water, minimizes freshwater dependency, and safeguards local ecosystems, advancing UN SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation.
In collaboration with the Rajasthan government, Hindustan Zinc established Udaipur’s first PPP Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in 2014. Over a decade, the STP’s capacity has grown to 60 million litres per day (MLD). The facility treats wastewater through advanced biological and filtration processes, delivering clean water via dedicated pipelines to company operations while protecting Udaipur’s “City of Lakes.”
Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said:
"Water is a shared legacy. At Hindustan Zinc, we have embraced water stewardship that turns challenges into opportunities. As a 3.32× water-positive company with zero effluent discharge, we are safeguarding freshwater for communities while setting new benchmarks in sustainable manufacturing. We aim to reduce freshwater use by 50% by 2030 and achieve 100% reuse of low-quality water in smelting."
Hindustan Zinc’s sustainability initiatives include state-of-the-art effluent treatment across all sites. Earlier this year, the company inaugurated a 4,000 KLD water treatment plant at Rampura Agucha, the world’s largest underground zinc mine, boosting water recycling. A dry tailing and paste-fill plant at Rajpura Dariba further enhances water conservation.
Community Impact: Hindustan Zinc’s ‘Jal Sakhi’ program empowers rural women across 13 community RO hubs, forming 92% of the workforce. Over the past five years, the company has supplied 6.11 crore m³ of safe drinking water to 36 villages, benefiting 2.19 lakh people, and increased local water storage by over 1 lakh m³, supporting groundwater recharge and year-round clean water access.
Hindustan Zinc is the first Indian company to join the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) and has been ranked world’s most sustainable metals and mining company by S&P Global 2024 for the second consecutive year. By investing in cutting-edge water recycling, building community partnerships, and aligning with international sustainability frameworks, the company is leading a paradigm shift toward water-resilient industrial operations.
