UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

UPES report · 2. Water use and extraction

2Water use and extraction on campus

UPES draws its water from its own bore wells, puts rainwater back into the ground, and has cut water waste sharply by changing how it purifies drinking water.

Impact

UPES saves tens of millions of litres a year by recharging groundwater, reusing treated water and ending wasteful purification.

30 millionlitres saved a year by removing RO purifiers
89%water savings through recharge and reuse
6bore wells, managed with conservation measures
  • Rainwater harvesting pits fitted with flow meters measure how much water goes back into the ground.
  • Every litre of wastewater is treated and reused on campus, reducing the need to draw fresh groundwater.
  • Removing reverse-osmosis purifiers stopped about three litres being wasted for every litre purified.

Where campus water comes from

  • Groundwater. Six bore wells meet the daily needs of students, faculty, staff and campus operations, and extraction is managed alongside conservation measures (see the water and waste management report[1]).
  • Rainwater recharge. Rainwater harvesting pits on both campuses recharge groundwater. Every pit has a water flow meter, so the volume fed back into the ground is measured.
  • Reuse before extraction. Treated wastewater, not fresh groundwater, is used for landscaping, horticulture and other non-drinking needs (see section 5).

Cutting water waste

After tests confirmed that the campus supply was safe to drink, UPES removed reverse-osmosis (RO) purifiers, which waste about three litres of water for every litre they purify, and switched entirely to UV-treated water. The change saves about 30 million litres a year and keeps essential minerals in drinking water. The Vice Chancellor highlighted it at Sustainability Fair 3.0 in April 2025.

A signposted rainwater harvesting well on the UPES campus
A rainwater harvesting well on campus.