Sterlite Technologies Ltd (STL), a leading integrator of digital networks, has announced that all its Indian manufacturing facilities are now certified ‘zero liquid discharge’ (ZLD) by Deutsch Quality Systems (DQS India).

“For STL, water management is a top priority in its materiality matrix. This has led STL to develop water-resilient communities and undertake rainwater harvesting and technology interventions to optimise water demand and adherence to stringent ZLD protocols,” a company release said.  

The water management process at STL involves sewage treatment, effluent treatment, and multi-effective evaporator (MEE) plants, the release said. The ZLD process entails an in-depth understanding of liquid waste profiles and in-plant modifications to minimise water usage. The wastewater is chemically treated to remove chlorine and solid particles. It then undergoes three-tiered centrifugation to remove salt and suspended particles, making it fit for reuse in boilers and scrubbers. The entire process is digitally monitored using a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture and shift dashboards.

STL has replicated this ZLD framework at its six manufacturing plants across Aurangabad and Silvassa, in Maharashtra.

STL recycled 145,000+ cubic metres of wastewater in FY22, it said .

Akanksha Sharma, Global ESG Head, STL, said, “Water conservation and re-usage is top of the agenda of companies committing to sustainable business practices. The ZLD certification for all our manufacturing locations in India depicts our conviction that with the right technical innovation, intent, and ecological foresight, it is possible to conserve water and put it to re-usage while operating sustainably. “