India faces a dual water crisis: while over 60% of its daily wastewater remains untreated, nearly 300 million people lack sufficient access to clean water. Despite the growing demand for effective water management, only 44% of the country’s wastewater is treated through existing centralized sewage treatment plants (STPs). These systems are not only expensive to maintain but often underperform, exacerbating challenges for developing nations striving for water security.

Wastewater, if treated effectively, represents an untapped opportunity. It can be reused for irrigation, landscaping, toilet flushing, and even groundwater recharge, reducing the burden on freshwater sources and mitigating environmental pollution. Yet, modern treatment systems remain largely inaccessible to many parts of India and the global South due to high operational costs and infrastructure requirements.