Hyderabad Recycled Water Network Planned For Future Growth
Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s water utility has initiated plans to develop a large-scale recycled water distribution network that will supply treated wastewater to emerging industrial and commercial growth corridors, marking a significant step towards strengthening urban water security and reducing dependence on freshwater resources. The proposed initiative is expected to support rapidly expanding economic zones while embedding circular water management into the city’s long-term infrastructure strategy.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has invited expressions of interest from private developers and infrastructure firms to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain treated wastewater conveyance systems under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework using the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model. The programme proposes two strategic supply corridors. One will transport treated wastewater from the Attapur Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to the Chandan Valley growth corridor, where industries, logistics facilities and data centres are expected to require substantial non-potable water. The second corridor will connect the Nagole STP with Future City, supplying recycled water to technology parks, commercial developments, institutional campuses and other urban infrastructure projects. Demand for treated water is projected to rise sharply over the coming decade. Planning estimates indicate that by 2035, the Attapur–Chandan Valley corridor could require around 233 million litres per day (MLD), while demand in the Nagole–Future City corridor may reach approximately 290 MLD. Meeting this demand through recycled water rather than potable supplies is expected to ease pressure on Hyderabad’s drinking water resources.
Urban water experts say the initiative reflects a broader transition towards wastewater reuse as an essential component of climate-resilient city planning. Recycled water is increasingly being adopted worldwide for industrial operations, cooling systems, landscaping and other non-drinking applications, allowing high-quality freshwater to be reserved for domestic consumption. Under the proposed concession model, private partners will develop and manage pipeline infrastructure, distribution systems and associated facilities throughout the concession period. Revenue will be generated through treated water supply charges, with concessionaires sharing royalties with the water utility, creating a financially sustainable model for expanding recycled water infrastructure. The state government is also preparing a comprehensive wastewater reuse policy that will establish regulatory guidelines encouraging industries, institutions and commercial establishments to adopt treated wastewater wherever technically feasible. Such policy measures are expected to improve investor confidence while supporting consistent implementation across future projects.
With an installed sewage treatment capacity of nearly 1,878 MLD, Hyderabad already possesses one of the country’s largest urban wastewater treatment networks. Urban planners believe leveraging this existing infrastructure through large-scale wastewater reuse can improve resource efficiency, strengthen water resilience and support the city’s expanding industrial and technology sectors without proportionately increasing pressure on finite freshwater supplies.
