Udaipur, July 17, 2026 (Daily Kiran): Hindustan Zinc Limited, the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and one of the leading global silver producers, recycled nearly 23 billion litres of water during the financial year 2025-26, increasing its annual water recycling rate to 49 percent.
The company also reported a reduction in its overall water consumption while maintaining a 3.32-times water-positive status, reflecting its continued focus on improving water-use efficiency and reducing dependence on freshwater resources.
According to the company, the improvement is the result of a long-term strategy that integrates water conservation into operations through advanced water recovery technologies, zero liquid discharge systems, effluent treatment and water treatment plants, and increased use of treated water. These measures have helped reduce freshwater consumption and improve resource efficiency across operations.
Commenting on the achievement, Hindustan Zinc CEO Arun Misra said that the future of mining will be defined not only by production but also by the responsible use of natural resources. He said the company is prioritising water management across all existing and future projects to decouple growth from freshwater dependence while safeguarding water resources for communities, the environment and future generations.
Hindustan Zinc is promoting water recycling across its facilities through technologies such as zero liquid discharge systems, effluent treatment plants, reverse osmosis units, multi-effect evaporators and mechanical vapour recompression systems. The company has also expanded the use of filtered tailings technology, enabling the recovery of more than 80 percent of water from tailings.
During FY26, the commissioning of a second filtered tailings plant at Rajpura-Dariba in Rajasthan further strengthened the company’s water recycling capacity.
The company’s 60 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant in Udaipur, developed in partnership with the Rajasthan government under a public-private partnership model, is converting urban wastewater into water suitable for industrial use. The initiative is helping meet industrial water requirements while supporting effective urban wastewater management.
Beyond its operational sites, Hindustan Zinc has continued to invest in water security initiatives in surrounding communities. Over the past five years, the company has implemented more than 280 water conservation projects in water-stressed regions. These include rainwater harvesting, pond restoration, check dam construction and groundwater recharge initiatives.
According to the company, these efforts have created a water storage capacity of 62.3 million cubic metres for local communities, strengthening long-term water availability and security.
The initiatives support Hindustan Zinc’s ESG goals as well as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation. In line with the Vedanta Group’s vision of sustainable and community-focused development, the company said it remains committed to generating positive environmental and social outcomes.
The company’s commitment to responsible and sustainable mining received further recognition in 2025 when Hindustan Zinc became the first Indian metals and mining company to join the International Council on Mining and Metals, underscoring its adherence to global standards of responsible mining and sustainability.
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