It will together supply nearly 3,000 million litres per day (MLD), catering to about 60% of the city’s drinking water demand, Guillaume Dourdin, CEO and country director of Veolia India, told Fortune India.
French water and wastewater management specialist Veolia will supply 60% of Mumbaikars’ drinking water requirements by 2030. Two water treatment facilities are coming up at Bhandup and Panjrapur in the city suburbs and are expected to be operational by 2029 and 2030, respectively.
It will together supply nearly 3,000 million litres per day (MLD), catering to about 60% of the city’s drinking water demand, Guillaume Dourdin, CEO and country director of Veolia India, told Fortune India.
A year ago, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had awarded a Rs. 4,124 crore contract for the Bhandup plant, one of the largest in the world in terms of capacity, to Welspun Enterprises. Welspun chose Veolia as its technology partner to set up a 2,000 MLD Water Treatment Plant at BMC’s Bhandup Complex, which currently supplies drinking water to Mumbai City through existing Water Treatment Plants (WTPs). Last year, the BMC also awarded Welspun a contract to design, build, and operate a 910 MLD water treatment plant at Panjrapur, located near Bhiwandi in the Thane district.
”These new plants are designed to be more compact and energy efficient, reducing operating costs while accommodating land constraints typical of large Indian cities,” said Guillaume Dourdin.
Veolia, which reported €44.69 billion in global revenues in 2024, operates in about 54 countries with roughly 215,000 employees globally. Its three core businesses are water, waste management and energy services. Veolia entered India in 2000 with a focus on demonstrating continuous 24×7 water supply — a model that was then rare in Indian cities. Its flagship success remains Nagpur, where the company operates a citywide concession delivering round-the-clock drinking water to nearly 3.8 million residents.
A big market opportunity
Industry estimates place India’s broader water ecosystem — spanning treatment, distribution and recycling — at roughly $14 billion today. Veolia aims to grow its India revenues by 50% by 2027 compared with 2025 levels, and to more than double its business by 2030, said Guillaume Dourdin.
According to Dourdin, the Nagpur project illustrates how operational discipline and digital integration can transform municipal systems. When Veolia began managing Nagpur’s network in 2012, non-revenue water — losses from leaks, theft and inefficiencies — stood at around 70%. That figure has since dropped to below 30%. Central to this improvement is a digital control platform that provides real-time visibility across the network. Sensors track flows, pressure and reservoir levels, while a digital twin allows operators to simulate interventions before deploying them in the field. The system is integrated with a customer feedback loop, enabling early detection of localised issues.
In 2017, the company acquired a majority stake in hazardous waste specialist Detox India, establishing facilities in Gujarat that handle industrial effluents, incineration and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) operations for sectors including pharmaceuticals, chemicals and agrochemicals. Veolia is also exploring opportunities in sludge-to-energy conversion, where municipal wastewater by-products can generate biogas, compost or biochar. Waste-to-energy potential exists, though Dourdin cautions that success depends on segregation and network efficiency — areas where Indian cities are still evolving.
Plastic recycling, another global Veolia strength, represents future potential as India tightens sustainability targets, he says.
A transforming water market
As India races to urbanise and industrialise, the country’s water and waste infrastructure is entering a decisive transformation phase — one defined by stricter compliance, digital monitoring, industrial reuse and long-term professional operations. The shift marks a structural opportunity in a market where rising environmental awareness is converging with policy pressure and economic growth.
“India is building capacity; regulations are in place, enforcement is strengthening, and both municipalities and industries are realising that environmental management is not optional — it’s a license to operate,” he said.
India’s water stress — driven by population growth, industrial expansion and climate variability — is accelerating interest in reuse and circular resource models. Industrial reuse of treated wastewater has to scale first, given faster adoption cycles compared to potable reuse. “Acceptance and consistent operations matter more. But reuse is inevitable — industries will increasingly depend on recycled water,” he said.
Veolia is also exploring opportunities in sludge-to-energy conversion, where municipal wastewater by-products can generate biogas, compost or biochar. Waste-to-energy potential exists, though that success depends on segregation and network efficiency — areas where Indian cities are still evolving, he said.
Source: https://tinyurl.com/4pw5s6ma
