India's Thirsty Construction Boom

India's unprecedented infrastructure expansion, including highways, metros, and housing, is accompanied by a significant, yet largely invisible, water consumption challenge. Construction activities are vital for economic progress but place immense pressure on diminishing water resources.

Studies show that construction in India uses between 2 to 3.6 kiloliters of water per square meter, with concrete curing being a major contributor. This demand often relies on groundwater or tanker water, creating indirect competition in water-stressed regions and increasing pressure on urban supplies like those in Bengaluru and Chennai.

Despite policy initiatives for water sustainability, a dedicated national framework for construction water consumption is absent. Existing regulations offer only partial solutions, and voluntary green building credits do not adequately address the issue, leaving a critical governance vacuum.

Implementing standardized benchmarks, mandatory water audits, and digital monitoring systems is crucial for governing construction water use. A lifecycle approach considering embodied water in materials, alongside incentives for treated wastewater reuse, will be key to achieving sustainable urbanisation within ecological limits.