Greater Noida authorities have initiated a strategic review of the city’s power supply and sewage infrastructure, with particular emphasis on maximising reuse of treated water as part of broader efforts to enhance sustainability and urban services in the rapidly expanding region.
The review comes amid rising civic demands for resilient utilities and responsible resource management across residential and industrial sectors. At a high-level civic meeting this week, senior officials directed departments to prepare a detailed roadmap for increasing the share of treated sewage water reused within the city’s utility systems. The aim is to reduce discharge into drains and water bodies, mitigate freshwater extraction pressures, and support non-potable applications such as park irrigation, construction, firefighting and industry supply. Greater Noida’s sewage treatment ecosystem has grown in capacity over recent years, with multiple sewage treatment plants (STPs) processing hundreds of millions of litres of wastewater per day. However, current utilisation of treated output remains modest compared with potential capacity, with less than half being reused for secondary purposes. National environmental adjudicators have previously challenged this gap, arguing that untreated or under-utilised outputs contribute to pollution and waste of a valuable resource.
Urban planners highlight that maximising treated water reuse is essential in fast-growing cities where reliance on groundwater and surface abstraction is unsustainable. Reuse reduces pressure on finite freshwater sources, particularly in peri-urban pockets where water demand for landscapes, construction and industry is high. Experts also point out that integration of reuse protocols with zoning and planning regulations can align water management with climate-resilient infrastructure goals. The review also encompassed power distribution systems that support critical urban services. Officials examined current supply stability, load distribution and infrastructure readiness to sustain future growth. Reliable electricity is fundamental not only for household needs but also for operating STPs, pumping networks and recycled water distribution systems.
A robust power-sewage nexus ensures that wastewater treatment and reuse schemes function continuously and contribute meaningfully to resilience outcomes. Residents and civic advocates have repeatedly flagged issues linked to ageing water and sewer lines, frequent leakages, and disruptions in supply that compound public health concerns. These systemic challenges underscore the need for integrated planning — where water, sanitation and energy infrastructure reinforce each other rather than operate in silos. Maximising reuse of treated wastewater is increasingly recognised as a cost-effective and environmentally sound component of urban infrastructure strategy. Cities that perform well in this area typically combine physical network upgrades, policy incentives for reuse, and community outreach to raise awareness about source segregation and water conservation. Bringing such practice to scale could help Greater Noida reduce freshwater withdrawals and limit effluent flows into natural drains.
Officials have tasked technical teams with finalising a comprehensive plan over the coming months, with phased milestones for augmenting reuse pipelines and improving treatment quality. The outcome will likely shape utility investment decisions that affect both economic growth and environmental quality in Greater Noida’s districts.
