In this day and age it might come as a surprise but clean water is still inaccessible to lakhs of Indians. This can be due to reasons ranging from dwindling water resources to highly polluted water that is unsafe to drink. To address unique problems specific to our country we need home-grown innovative solutions. Here’s a spotlight on some of the top companies doing exactly this.
Did you know ? The water treatment industry in India is expected to grow at a rate of 8-10% CAGR over the next decade.
What are the Emerging Technologies in the Water Treatment Industry?
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IoT and AI:
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Real-time Monitoring: AI systems integration in the water treatment industry translates to continuous monitoring of the water quality. This means the moment there is a contamination alert, corrective action can be taken instantaneously.
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Predictive Maintenance: Predictive maintenance is a big area where AI is being used to reduce the downtime. AI algorithms can predict equipment failures thus optimizing the machinery maintenance schedules.
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Resource Optimization: AI-led data-driven insights help optimize water usage and resource allocation, thus improving operational efficiency.
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Membrane Technologies: Membrane filtration technologies, such as reverse osmosis (RO) , are already very popular. Add to this the nanofiltration to find solutions for desalination, water purification, and wastewater treatment.
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Bioremediation: Bioremediation is a process where microbes are used to destroy pollutants and purify wastewater. This is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to go about water treatment.
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Solar-Powered Treatment Plants:
Usage of solar-powered water treatment systems, to reduce energy costs and ensure sustainable operation in remote areas.
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Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD): ZLD systems are being implemented in industries to recycle wastewater completely.
List of Top 10 Water Treatment Companies in India
To ensure a comprehensive and objective ranking, we considered several key factors ranging from market presence to technologies offered to sustainability initiatives.
1. Thermax India
Headquartered in Pune, Thermax was established in 1980. It is a leading player in energy and environmental solutions, including water and wastewater treatment. It uses technologies like RO plants and IOT-based monitoring. It focuses on energy-efficient and eco-friendly treatment systems to promote water conservation.
Core Services include effluent treatment plants (ETPs), sewage treatment plants (STPs), and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) systems.
2. Wabag Water Technologies
A global leader in water and wastewater management, Wabag based out of Chennai, was involved in Government of India’s Namami gange Initiative. The major technologies used by them include Membrane bioreactor (MBR), advanced oxidation processes (AOP), and smart automation solutions. Wabag also works toward water reuse and recycling for urban and rural areas.
Core Services: Industrial wastewater treatment, desalination, and sewage recycling.
3. Suez India
A subsidiary of the global Suez Group, Delhi-based Suez India specializes in sustainable water resource management. Suez has prominently worked with the Delhi Jal Board water treatment plant and Bengaluru's water management project. AI-enabled water monitoring and membrane technologies are used by Suez, which also promotes sustainability initiatives like circular water management.
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Core Services: Drinking water treatment, wastewater recovery, and industrial water solutions.
4. Netsol Water Solutions
Netsol, based in Noida, is known for providing cost-effective and eco-friendly water treatment solutions for industrial and domestic needs. For this it employs customized RO systems and sludge dewatering units.
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Core Services: Effluent treatment, sewage treatment, and RO plants.
5. Ion Exchange India Ltd
Established in Mumbai in 1964, Ion Exchange is a pioneer in water treatment solutions in India and used Ion exchange resins, and ZLD systems for this purpose.
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Core Services: Industrial water treatment, water filtration systems, and desalination.
6. Veolia Water Technologies
Part of the global Veolia Group, this Gurugram- based company specializes in advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies. It deploys bio-technologies like anaerobic digestion, and biological wastewater treatment, alongside IoT integration.
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Core Services: Water recycling, desalination, and sludge treatment.
7. Aquatech Systems Asia
Known for its global footprint, Aquatech from Pune, offers innovative water treatment solutions with a focus on industrial clients. It uses hybrid desalination systems and thermal ZLD processes.
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Core Services: Desalination, ZLD, and water recovery systems.
8. Voltas Water Solutions
A joint venture between Voltas Limited and Dow Chemicals, Voltas Waters from Mumbai, caters to both industrial and domestic water treatment needs. Voltas uses RO filtration, ultra-filtration, and softening units for water treatment and offers water solutions for residential complexes and small industries.
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Core Services: RO systems, ETPs, and STPs.
9. Paramount Limited
Paramount based in Vadodara, is a renowned name in industrial water treatment with over 50 years of experience. It uses chemical dosing systems and corrosion control solutions for this.
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Core Services: Boiler water treatment, cooling water treatment, and wastewater management.
10. Doshion Veolia
A joint venture of Doshion and Veolia, this Ahmedabad company specializes in municipal and industrial water solutions. Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and advanced sludge management is used for its solutions and is associated with urban wastewater treatment in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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Core Services: Water recycling, desalination, and large-scale wastewater treatment.
The water treatment companies in India are incorporating sustainable practices to provide efficient and cutting-edge technology to purify water ranging from advanced membrane technologies like nanomembrane to Zero liquid discharge to reduce water wastage. Further by encouraging their collaboration with government bodies (PPPs), NGOs can bring about a larger change for communities.
