Cement manufacturing is not a water intensive process but water is required for cooling purpose, power generation, dust suppression, cleaning, green belt and emission control systems.

With a long-term focus, we’re committed to water sustainability, aiming for a 15% reduction in freshwater withdrawal intensity and become 5x water-positive by 2030 (vs 2021) through increased use of recycled and harvested water and implementing water stewardship programs. Our water resource management policy aims at alleviating water scarcity by sourcing water meticulously and implementing innovative recycling techniques. We ensure proper wastewater treatment, fulfilling statutory and voluntary obligations, and adhering to Zero Liquid Discharge technology. Our efforts extend to rainwater harvesting, groundwater replenishment, and water-efficient equipment. In FY2025-26, our water withdrawal had no significant impact on local water bodies.

Out of our eight manufacturing sites in India, four – Dolvi, Vijayanagar, Salem and Jajpur have access to surface water supply, while the two others – Shiva and Salboni, depend on groundwater. Meanwhile, our Nandyal plant primarily uses harvested rainwater while our recently added Sambalpur site uses surface water.

Water Risk Management Programs

We regularly conduct water risk assessments across our sites using the India Water Tool and applicable local regulatory guidelines. While none of our owned sites are located in water-stressed regions as classified by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), the India Water Tool identified Nandyal, Salboni, and Vijayanagar as being in medium- to high-water-risk areas as per the desktop assessment. Accordingly, detailed water risk assessments were conducted which cover both dependency-related and impact-related water risks across our operations, supply chain, and product use phase. This includes evaluating current and future water availability and quality to support long-term operational sustainability.

As part of our ongoing water stewardship efforts, we conducted a detailed water audit and risk assessment across our plants.  The assessments identified a number of common water-related risks across our operations — dependence on groundwater and surface water sources, limited reuse of treated wastewater, inadequate capture of stormwater and rainwater, and gaps in water metering and monitoring.

To address these challenges, we are expanding rainwater harvesting, increasing treated wastewater reuse, strengthening digital water monitoring, and improving water accounting. We have also implemented conservation and replenishment initiatives, including community ponds, check dams, rainwater harvesting systems, use of alternative water sources, wastewater reuse for landscaping and dust suppression, and green belt development to support groundwater recharge.

We proactively assess potential impacts on local stakeholders by considering both present and future water needs within the communities where we operate. In addition, we maintain active engagement and communication with local communities to promote water security and mitigate potential future risks through various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Furthermore, we closely monitor and anticipate evolving local water-related regulations to ensure continued compliance and effectively manage potential regulatory risks.

Through these ongoing and planned initiatives, we continue to strengthen water resilience, enhance water-use efficiency, and advance our long-term commitment to water security and water positivity across our operations.

In FY 2024-25, we submitted our CDP disclosure for water and got an A- rating. This rating reflects our continuous efforts to bolster our water management while simultaneously working toward improving our disclosure.

CSR Initiatives for FY 2025-26

  • Key rural development projects included drinking water systems, purified drinking water plants, roads, drainage, solar street lights, community infrastructure, water conservation structures, sanitation facilities, plantation drives, and community assets. These initiatives benefited over 2,88,000 people, improving access to basic services, rural connectivity, water security, and community well-being.