Water use and re-use policy and procedures

Amrita University is committed to ensuring that water is used most judiciously and reused to the maximum extent possible to reduce the straining of the water sources. To achieve the same, we have established adequate water treatment plants based on the demand forecast for each campus.

For efficient water usage, we adopt the following practices:

1. Water is supplied 24 hours a day without interruption for drinking and other purposes. This prevents improper storage by residents in anticipation of water shortage.
2. We use water from different sources such as water authority pipelines, bore wells, rainwater, recycled water, etc. to reduce dependence on one particular source for water
3. We promote rainwater harvesting at all buildings
4. We have developed open rainwater storage tanks as an additional open receptacle for rainwater harvesting
5. The rainwater ponds also help in irrigation and groundwater recharging
6. We collect the stormwater that falls on the paved and unpaved grounds into rain pits placed all around. It also helps in curtailing flooding of the campus to a certain extent
7. We have provided water meter facilities for each of the bore wells to monitor water usage
8. We fix leakages immediately and perform periodic maintenance required to prevent water loss
9. At our canteens and mess halls, we wash plates in batches to save water
10. We have laundry services for residential students and staff to save water. Used water from laundry facilities are recycled and reused
11. Through awareness sessions and posters we encourage students to use water judiciously and close taps in between brushing, shaving, showering, etc.
12. Water tanks have been automated to prevent overflow with 24X7 monitoring of water levels and pump On/OFF

Water reuse policies

1. We provide filtered water for bathing and drinking purposes whereas the unfiltered/recycled water is directly fed on to the flush water tank for toilet flushing
2. Wastewater is treated by Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) where up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) technology treatment is followed by flocculation, chlorination & filtration (biochar & sand filters). The water quality is regularly monitored for quality control complying with state & national level Pollution control regulatory framework
3. We use recycled water after ultrafiltration treatment at all campuses for gardening, toilet flushing, and building construction purposes
4. We dewater the sludge from treated water, which increases the treatment efficiency
5. We have dedicated testing labs at ETP units
6. A mobile alerting system from Elwer Systems have been implemented on septic tanks for special monitoring
7. Water collected from Kitchen, Canteen, bathroom, laundry, and vessel washing facilities are recycled and reused
8. We have dedicated research centers developing different technologies to reduce the ecological footprint of waste management especially concerning wastewater and composting of solid biological waste
9. The target for 2025 is that 40-50% of water demand on the university campus should be met by recycled water and rainwater.