One of the biggest problems India is facing today is the availability of clean water. A recent study indicates that by 2030 the water supply in India will be half of its demand - enough to significantly hamper the social and economic development of the country. At the same time, the rapid expansion of cities and industries has rapidly raised the amount of wastewater. Adequate wastewater disposal and sanitation facilities have thus become very crucial.

India's water situation, primarily depending on fickle rainfall with much variability, is quite serious. Our aquifers are mostly in poor condition, with deficient safeguards to prevent "water mining" and growing contamination due to industrial pollution and human runoff. Our growing population and climate change have started to exert pressure on our water supplies. We know that water is critical to life, but there is increasing evidence that water quality is even more important than we imagined. The effects of polluted water cannot be overemphasised. It is a known fact that chemicals in water can affect our hormonal system and cause cancer. Unclean water leads to an increase in many infectious diseases. And recent studies strongly suggest that faecal contamination of water is leading to malnutrition in children who are drinking such water, even where they are consuming enough nutritious food.

So it's a welcome sight to see the government creating a lot of buzz about the environment and seems to be intent about improving water quality and is very strongly promoting sanitation and sewage treatment. It's critical that these initiatives are taken up seriously and actually implemented - too many past efforts have been poorly planned or just left halfway. Implementation of environmental rules has often been lax and uneven. Legislation on a comprehensive approach to water pricing is also needed, which on one hand allows "water for life" to be free or very cheap, but prices other consumption in a manner that encourages efficiency. Integration of laws, of projects, and continuous monitoring of air and water quality are perhaps as important as defense to ensure a secure future for our country. For better public health and economic development, it is essential to deploy adequate technology, infrastructure, and stringent environmental policies. And such efforts also need to be undertaken worldwide to combat climate change and water scarcity.

At A.T.E., our efforts are focused on developing world-class solutions for many aspects of our water problems. We have many smoothly running installations that showcase green technology that saves money. For example, our AAA process generates gas, saves energy, reduces chemical consumption and greatly reduces sludge. Our screening grit and sludge management solutions from Huber enable sewage treatment plants to work optimally and ensure clean and safe working.