IGI Airport Becomes India’s First Water-Positive Mega Airport

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) has become the first airport in India handling over 40 million passengers to be certified as ‘water-positive’, according to Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).

Key Highlights

• What ‘Water-Positive’ Means
  A water-positive facility replenishes more water than it consumes, achieved through rainwater capture, recycling, and efficient water-use systems.
• Major Infrastructure Achievements
  IGI now operates:
  • 625 rainwater harvesting structures
  • Two underground reservoirs with a combined capacity of 9 million litres
  • A 16.6 MLD zero-liquid-discharge sewage treatment plant
  These systems enable large-scale water capture, storage, treatment, and reuse.
• Extensive Water Reuse Practices
  Treated water is reused for:
  • HVAC systems
  • Landscape irrigation
  • Toilet flushing
  • Other non-potable applications
  A state-of-the-art water treatment plant supplies high-quality potable water with minimal wastage. Advanced irrigation systems such as sprinklers and drip irrigation further improve efficiency.
• National Recognition
  The milestone was recognised at the Water Innovation Summit 2025 in New Delhi.
  DIAL was honoured for achieving Scope I water neutrality under the NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework.
• What is Water Neutrality?
  Water neutrality refers to balancing an organisation’s total freshwater consumption with water savings, reuse, and replenishment, ensuring no net freshwater loss.

Source: TOI