India, a country with over 1.4 billion people, is facing a serious water crisis. With increasing urbanization, climate change, and groundwater depletion, the demand for fresh water is outpacing supply. While the country receives substantial rainfall, its distribution is highly uneven, leading to frequent droughts and water shortages in many regions.

Desalination, the process of removing salt and other impurities from seawater or brackish water, is now being seen as a sustainable and scalable solution to India’s water woes.

Why Desalination?

• 70% of Earth’s surface is water, but only 2.5% is freshwater. Most of India’s freshwater sources are under pressure due to overuse.

• Over-extraction of groundwater has made nearly 21 cities face “zero groundwater” status, according to a NITI Aayog report.

• With a long coastline of over 7,500 km, India has immense potential to tap into seawater resources for freshwater needs.

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Current Desalination Projects in India

India has already begun investing in desalination plants, especially in coastal states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.

Notable Projects:

1. Minjur Desalination Plant (Chennai, Tamil Nadu)

   • Capacity: 100 MLD (Million Litres per Day)

   • Technology: Reverse Osmosis (RO)

   • Serving millions of residents in Chennai city

2. Nemmeli Desalination Plant (Chennai)

   • Capacity: 110 MLD

   • Jointly developed by the government and private partners

3. Gujarat Desalination Projects

   • Gujarat aims to set up 10 desalination plants along its coastline

   • Jamnagar and Bhavnagar plants are under advanced stages of planning

4. Mumbai Desalination Initiative

   • BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has proposed a 200 MLD plant at Manori

   • Targeting water independence for the megacity

Technologies Used in Desalination

At the heart of desalination are advanced water treatment technologies:

1. Reverse Osmosis (RO)

   • Most widely used due to efficiency and cost-effectiveness

   • Uses high-pressure membranes to separate salts from water

2. Multi-Stage Flash Distillation (MSF)

   • Uses heat to evaporate and condense water

   • Suitable for large-scale plants with energy availability

3. Electrodialysis & Vapor Compression

   • Emerging technologies offering lower energy consumption

Companies like Sahara Industry are supporting the growth of desalination by manufacturing and supplying key components such as FRP pressure vessels, membrane housings, filtration media, and advanced RO systems tailored for seawater applications.

Challenges in Desalination

Despite its promise, desalination comes with challenges:

• High energy consumption – RO and thermal methods require significant power

• Environmental concerns – Brine discharge can affect marine life

• High capital costs – Infrastructure development needs significant investment

The Way Forward

To make desalination more viable:

• Invest in renewable-powered desalination (solar, wind)

• Implement energy recovery devices to lower operational costs

• Encourage PPP models (Public-Private Partnerships) to accelerate project rollout

• Promote Make-in-India manufacturing of desalination equipment and spares

Conclusion

Desalination is not a futuristic concept anymore—it is today’s solution for tomorrow’s water security. With strategic planning, technological innovation, and sustainable practices, India can leverage its vast coastline to ensure safe and reliable drinking water for its people.

As a leading manufacturer in the water treatment sector, Sahara Industry is proud to be part of India’s desalination journey, offering state-of-the-art products and technical support to projects across the country.

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