By Karthick Vasudevan
In this exclusive interview, insights into the visionary world of Veolia, a global leader in water treatment and sustainability solutions, are provided. A journey through the company’s impactful contributions to water treatment, environmental sustainability, and its mission to revolutionize the textile industry in India is guided by Mr. Gopalakrishna Madabhushi, the Senior Vice President and South East Asia Business Leader at Veolia. With a focus on innovation and a strong commitment to resource conservation, the promise of a greener and more sustainable future is exemplified by Veolia’s story.
Veolia, a multinational organization with a presence in over 50 countries, focuses on three major solutions: water treatment, solid waste management, and digital solutions for waste management. The management of solutions, chemical monitoring, and digital solutions for the wastewater treatment industry in the region are overseen by Mr. Madabhushi in his role.
Solutions for India
The business is categorized into four major segments:
- Products – Water treatment products are designed, manufactured, and supplied.
- Projects – “Integrated Flow sheet” solutions tailored to clients’ specific requirements are provided.
- Facility Installation and Commissioning – The installation and commissioning of water treatment facilities are managed.
- Services – This includes capital goods (O&M) operation and maintenance, as well as trading treated water and chemical monitoring solutions.
Strength and Achievements:
In the region, 500 large projects have been executed, with the flagship product “MBR” playing an instrumental role in the success, particularly in the field of ETPs Tuft projects for both municipal and industrial spaces. Accomplishments in achieving zero liquid discharge in the thermal power industry are testament to the expertise, and continued recognition in this field is aimed for.
Unique Selling Proposition (USP):
The track record speaks volumes – 500 large projects, 3.5 lac membrane products sold, 750 MBR projects completed, and services provided at more than 35 sites in the region. The widespread operations offer a strong testament to the reliability of partnerships in the industry, making it the unique selling proposition.
Major Clients in India:
Both municipal and industrial clients are catered to. For municipal needs, solutions address drinking water, sewage treatment through recycling, and desalination of seawater to make it potable. Heavy, moderate, and light industries, including the food and beverage industry, petrochemicals, sugar, and thermal power, rely on the technologies for effluent treatment and zero liquid discharge, totaling 11.4 million cubic meters of water treated per day.
Dream for the Textile Industry:
The challenges of treating discharged effluents in the water-intensive textile industry in India are addressed. MBR projects have been successfully implemented in neighboring Bangladesh, and Veolia’s dream is to assist the textile industry by establishing more Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). The experience with CETPs in Surat has proven to be a cost-effective solution, and a strong recommendation is made for textile wet processing communities to adopt more CETPs for sustainable and eco-friendly textile trade.
Sustainability:
Veolia’s mission is to “resource the world” through reuse and recycling. With limited water resources on Earth, the primary duty is to ensure responsible water usage. An example of commitment to sustainability is seen in a project for a fertilizer client, requiring 22 million liters of high-quality industrial process water daily. An innovative solution was developed by recycling municipal sewage from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area, producing approximately 20 million liters per day. This not only met the client’s industrial needs but also saved on production costs. The positive impact of this project extended to 30,000 families, and the sustainable concept was adopted by the municipal corporation in other areas. Additionally, in Veolia’s offices in India, 25% of power is sourced from solar energy, and 40% of in-house water consumption is provided by harvested rainwater. Veolia aims to be the most reliable technology partner to support sustainability goals.
In conclusion:
Mr. Madabhushi shared some staggering numbers showcasing Veolia’s industry leadership, such as the installation of over 2800 ETPs/STPs in the last 30 years and over 1.4 million modules in the MBR space. The use of PVDF material in their products, capable of withstanding 600 Newtons of tensile strength, highlights Veolia as a pioneer in the water treatment management industry.
