Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, has reported strong progress in strengthening water security in villages in the vicinity of its operational areas in Odisha and Chhattisgarh on World Water Day 2026. Through a growing portfolio of over 330 water structures and community ponds, the company has enabled 24 lakh+ cubic metres of groundwater recharge and storage capacity to date, while expanding access to safe drinking water and reliable irrigation across some of India’s most water‑stressed districts. These on‑ground initiatives are supported by technology upgrades within operations, such as Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems, real-time monitoring, and process optimisation.

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Groundwater supports the majority of rural drinking and irrigation needs in these water-scarce areas. In summer months, communities face significant hardships when natural sources shrink, impacting health, farm productivity and women’s drudgery. Vedanta Aluminium’s water-positive interventions are helping improve access to clean water and strengthen agricultural livelihoods through more reliable irrigation. Aligned with Vedanta Limited’s goal of becoming Net Water Positive by 2030, the company is pursuing a dual pathway that brings together technology-driven water efficiency in its operations and neighbouring villages.

Commenting on the significance, Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, said, “Water stewardship is central to our sustainable growth approach. Our focus is on creating tangible, on-ground impact through scalable interventions that improve water access, support agriculture, and build resilience in communities. On World Water Day, we reaffirm our commitment to water stewardship across our operations and direct impact zones.”

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Across Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium has expanded groundwater recharge and water storage capacity by developing and restoring 171 watershed structures, including community ponds across Lanjigarh and Jharsuguda. Much of this work involves developing and restoring water structures across villages, while close collaboration with district authorities has enhanced household water access and strengthened irrigation across farmlands.

In Chhattisgarh, Vedanta Aluminium has developed and rejuvenated 158 water structures, enhancing irrigation cycles and supporting livelihood opportunities such as fisheries in villages around its BALCO operations in Korba. “The community pond in our village has opened new livelihood options for us. I started small‑scale fish farming, and the income has really helped my family. Earlier, farming alone was uncertain because of water shortages, but now we have a stable source of earning,” said Sharamu Ram, a community member from Korba.

At the company’s mining locations, 4 drinking water sources under Project Nirmal continue to supply around 2.5 lakh litres of safe drinking water every day through solar-powered borewells and purification systems. “With the new solar-powered borewell and purification system set up in our village, we finally have safe water close to home. It has improved our family’s health. For us, this change has been life‑changing,” said Gunasingh Majhi, Sarpanch, Sunger Gram, Rayagada district.

In operations, the company recycled 16.79 million m³ of water, achieving a water recycling rate of 15.60 per cent FY25, and continues to operate entirely on a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) philosophy. Across its operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, Vedanta Aluminium is strengthening its water stewardship by reusing cooling‑tower blowdown water to significantly reduce freshwater consumption, supported by modernised Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) equipped with advanced treatment systems for high‑quality recovery and environmental compliance. At BALCO, this initiative saves nearly 4,800 cubic metres of freshwater per day through an upgraded 400 m³/hour ETP, while at Jharsuguda, IoT‑enabled real‑time water quality monitoring ensures granular oversight of water flows and maximises reuse across the plant.‑

Further strengthening its governance approach, the company conducts comprehensive water‑risk assessments. These insights guide site‑specific targets, risk‑mitigation strategies and long‑term planning designed to safeguard both operational reliability and the well‑being of surrounding communities.

By integrating community‑led water solutions with circular, technology‑enabled water systems in operations, Vedanta Aluminium is strengthening water security across its impact zones, supporting health, livelihoods and farm productivity while contributing to long‑term environmental resilience.

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Note: This article has been issued by Vedanta Aluminium and has been published by AL Circle with its original information without any modifications or edits to the core subject/data.