Water Supply Continues to be Problem for India as Progress Begins on $5 Billion Hindustan Refinery

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Indian sub-continent has a feast-or-famine relationship with water. Many farmers exist in life-threatening drought areas, while other Indians live under the constant threat cataclysmic floods. With the rate of economic growth in the past two decades, industry and public utilities also live on the edge of water supply crises.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (BSE:HPCL) (Mumbai) is in the first stages of development for the $5 billion Barmer refinery project. The company and the state government are grappling with concerns about the heavy usage of water during the construction phase.

During construction, 12 million liters of water will be used daily. About 28 million gallons will be used daily (4.546 imperial liters/gallon) after the 180,000-barrel-per-day refinery begins full operations, which are scheduled for the end of 2018,.

The state government is considering the use of treated water and saline water, in addition to freshwater. The possibility of sourcing water from a common effluent water treatment plant in Balora is being explored. Balora is 20 kilometers away from the refinery site, and officials are estimating the cost of laying and operating a pipeline.

Saline water from the Balesar aquifer and from the refinery site also is being considered. There are four or five options HPCL can look at for water supplies.

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