The Nelamangala unit (in Bangalore) of ABB India - a pioneering technology leader in robotics and motion, electrification products, industrial automation and power grids - has received a ‘Water Positive’ certification from The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). In place of simply replacing the amount of water taken from the environment, the unit implemented an Innovative 6R approach towards ‘Water Positivity’ to replenish more water than it consumes at the location.

The unique 6R approach includes initiatives such as rainwater use and recharge, reduction in the use of freshwater, water recycling, and real-time monitoring of water consumption, recharge, and saving. The Nelamangala unit currently has 17 rainwater recharge wells, 2 recharge ponds along with 5 cross wave technology-based recharge tanks. ABB products such as water flow meters were installed in the rainwater recharge system to capture real-time data.

To reduce consumption of water, ABB India installed water-efficient fixtures, restricted the use of turf in the landscape area, and planted drought-tolerant plants in 81 percent of the landscape area. The unit has provisions of rainwater tanks for rooftop runoff along with TERI-approved filtration to get suitable water for a variety of end-uses. The campus has achieved close to 85 percent of water recyclability with the help of efficient Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and recycling the treated wastewater for use in gardening and washrooms.

The water positivity index for Nelamangala plant is 1.24, which demonstrates our contribution towards replenishing much greater quantity of water for the environment than withdrawals for our operation. The index also shows our enhanced dependency on secondary water sources such as treated wastewater, rainwater, etc. and lesser dependency on groundwater sources for our operation.

“At ABB, ‘sustainability in practice’ is at the core of everything we do. It is a key part of our company’s purpose and of the value that we create for our customers, employees, and all our stakeholders. Our Nelamangala unit turning ‘Water Positive’ is a step towards continued resource conservation, in line with our 2030 global sustainability commitments.  We are committed to implementing various other similar environment-friendly measures across our ABB India locations to bring about a sustainable change,” said Sanjeev Sharma, Country Head and Managing Director, ABB India.

“In times of a severe water crisis in India, I am pleased to acknowledge that TERI has awarded India’s first water positivity certificate to ABB India, for one of their six factories in the country. I look forward to witnessing more partnerships in the sector and development of innovative solutions to manage and monitor natural resources on Earth,” added Sanjay Seth, Senior Director - Sustainable Habitat Programme, TERI, & CEO, GRIHA Council.

ABB’s Nelamangala unit, comprising of nearly 1500 employees, houses a state-of-the-art robotics facility spread over 3600 sq mt that delivers robotic applications and digital solutions for a variety of Indian industries. The Nelamangala unit also houses one of the first smart factories in Bangalore to produce ABB’s entire range of smart power products. 

ABB India’s water management initiatives at the unit were vetted by renowned external organizations such as GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) Council, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) along with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). Assessment parameters included water monitoring system & KPI management, rainwater recharge and usage, water reduction initiatives, wastewater treatment and recycling system, and impact on the community.

ABB India currently recycles almost 95 percent of the waste generated across all their facilities within their premises to achieve long-term sustainability goals of zero waste to landfill. They have also enhanced the water recyclability by 4 percent in 2021 as compared to the year 2020 which resulted in reduction of freshwater withdrawal and overall water footprint of the company.