91̽»¨

Clean water and Sanitation

At 91̽»¨ (JGU), we believe that clean water and proper sanitation are essential for a healthy, thriving campus community, and for the planet as a whole. Water connects people, ecosystems and urban environments, and it plays a key role in education, research and daily life. That is why we are committed to using water responsibly, conserving it wherever possible and ensuring that every member of our campus community understands its value. Our aim is a campus where water scarcity is addressed proactively, ecosystems are protected, and everyone has access to safe, reliable water every day.

At JGU, we treat water sustainability not just as a practice, but as a culture. From classrooms to hostels, kitchens to gardens, we embed awareness and action into everyday life, making our campus a model for responsible water management.

1. Introduction & Institutional Commitment

As a fully residential university, JGU has a high demand for water, and it is expected to grow as the campus expands. Sustainability is one of JGU’s five core values, and water stewardship under SDG 6 is a core part of our campus sustainability strategy, coordinated by the Office of Sustainability. JGU is committed to a circular water economy built on infrastructure investment, behavioural change and data-driven optimisation.

Our work on SDG 6 spans campus operations (borewell-based supply, purification, rainwater recharge, sewage treatment and reuse), research (groundwater, water pollution, arsenic removal and water law) and teaching (cross-electives and open online courses). 

This report presents JGU’s progress and impact against the following SDG 6 targets: 6.1 (safe and affordable drinking water), 6.2 (sanitation and hygiene), 6.3 (water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse), 6.4 (water-use efficiency) and 6.5 (integrated water resources management).

2. Key Figures at a Glance

Figures refer to 2025 (academic year 2025–26) unless stated.

3. Policy & Governance

JGU’s water management is governed through the university’s sustainability framework, which is coordinated by the Office of Sustainability. The Office maintains the university’s sustainability data and coordinates audits, and the framework applies across all academic blocks, student hostels, faculty residences, dining halls, administrative facilities and grounds maintenance teams. It is supported by policies that include the No Plastic Use Policy and the Water Conservation and Waste Water Reuse Policy.

Our policy objectives are to:

• Improve water efficiency and encourage behaviour change across the residential campus, using data on water sources and uses.

• Reduce reliance on borewells by expanding rainwater recharge and reusing treated wastewater, with no freshwater used for irrigation.

• Provide safe, free, regularly tested drinking water, and reduce single-use plastic through refill stations and the No Plastic Use Policy.

• Build a circular water economy through infrastructure investment, behavioural change and data-driven optimisation.

4.Research on Clean Water  and Sanitation

5.Progress Against Targets

Target 6.1: Safe and affordable drinking water

All water used on campus is drawn from borewells and purified through multi-grade and activated carbon filters, which remove calcium and magnesium. The softened water then passes through reverse osmosis filtration to remove contaminants and odours, and its quality is checked regularly. Water fountains and coolers across the campus give students, staff and visitors free, clean drinking water on every floor, and sensor water dispensers are active at university touchpoints. Drinking water accounts for 2% of monthly water use.

Target 6.2: Access to sanitation and hygiene

JGU provides accessible washrooms throughout the campus, including for people with mobility challenges, and waterless urinals are being introduced to reduce water use in sanitation facilities. The Health Centre provides round-the-clock care and health advisories. In teaching, the open online course “Environmental Issues, Policies, and Practice” includes a module on water and sanitation, and has drawn 5,240 unique visitors and 507 enrolments. Research on hand hygiene compliance and infection control strategies is among the top topics of a JGU researcher, at the 94.74th percentile worldwide.

Target 6.3: Water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse

Water from washrooms, kitchens and other domestic sources is treated at our sewage treatment plants, and the treated water is reused for horticulture and irrigation. This means 100% of landscape irrigation comes from treated wastewater, with no freshwater used. It sustains 1,52,140 native, drought-resistant trees and shrubs. Species such as Kadamb (Mitragyna parviflora), Bauhinia purpurea and Dalbergia sissoo were chosen because they thrive with minimal water. Our research supports this target as well, including work on arsenic removal technologies for potable water, which sits at the 99.12th percentile worldwide.

Target 6.4: Water-use efficiency

Our campus water demand is 1,600 KL per day, driven by our fully residential nature. The Environment Audit found that hostels, which can house more than 16,000 students, account for 89% of monthly consumption, followed by gardening (6%), kitchens and toilets (3%) and drinking water (2%). This gives us clear data to guide conservation. Sensor water dispensers and circulation pumps are active, and water aerators and waterless urinals are being rolled out. Water-conscious planting and the use of treated wastewater for irrigation reduce freshwater demand further.

JGU’s move to AI-enabled, computer-based paperless examinations for 16,000 students across 12 schools also saves an estimated 7,66,84,800 litres of water a year by avoiding paper use as well

Target 6.5: Integrated water resources management

Because all domestic water comes from borewells, JGU operates a rainwater recharge network to restore local aquifers. The network grew from 59 pits in 2024 to 67 pits in 2025. Each pit is 3 m in diameter and 4 m deep, and the pits are most effective during the July–September monsoon. The network works at 99.9% recharge efficiency over 87 cycles a year, with an estimated annual contribution of 1,37,448 KL, equal to up to 86 days of campus water demand. It offsets 23.5% of demand over the year and 71.6% during the monsoon. The recharge also saves an estimated 68,724 kWh of pumping energy and avoids about 50,000 kg of COâ‚‚ a year. Beyond the campus, researchers at the Centre for Water, Ocean Governance & Sustainability Law and the Centre for Environment, Sustainability & Human Development study water law reform and groundwater management.

6. Programmes, Research & Curriculum

• Centre for Water, Ocean Governance & Sustainability Law (Jindal Global Law School): conducts interdisciplinary legal research on inland and marine water governance and sustainability law. Its focus areas are Water Law Reform, Ocean Governance and the Blue Economy, and the Theoretical Foundations of Sustainability Law.

• Centre for Environment, Sustainability & Human Development: brings environmental science together with social studies, policy and climate, including water and sanitation, and uses geospatial modelling to map environmental hotspots. Prof. (Dr.) Sriroop Chaudhuri’s research on groundwater management and irrigation resource strategies sits at the 82.69th percentile worldwide, with 35 outputs, 973 citations and an h-index of 18.

• Water, energy and food: the Centre for Research on Digital Circular Economy for SDGs includes a Water, Energy and Food Nexus theme within its research.

• Leading researchers: Dr. Rupesh Kumar of Jindal Global Business School works on irrigation system performance and water management (74.37th percentile). Prof. (Dr.) Aliya Naz works on arsenic removal technologies for potable water (99.12th percentile).

• Research growth: JGU’s scholarly output on SDG 6 has risen steadily from 2 publications in 2020 to 8 in 2021 and 2022, 13 in 2023 and 23 in 2024. India’s national SDG 6 dashboard shows moderate improvement.

• Curriculum: cross-electives include Sustainable Food, Water and Energy Governance, and the open online course “Environmental Issues, Policies, and Practice” includes a module on water and sanitation.

• Living lab: the environment, energy and green audits serve as living-lab inputs on energy, water, waste and environmental parameters.

7. Community, Partnerships & Outreach

• Independent audits: the university’s Energy, Environment and Green audits were carried out by external auditors, as required for NAAC, and each received a satisfactory assessment. SGS India Pvt. Ltd. conducted the Green Audit, covering energy, water, waste and environmental initiatives.

• Local groundwater: our recharge pits contribute to restoring local groundwater levels, which supports the aquifer on which the surrounding community also depends.

• Benchmarking: the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and QS Stars Ratings serve as external benchmarks for our sustainability performance.

8. Events & 91̽»¨ Timeline

9. Awards & Recognition

• Environmental audits: all three external audits received a satisfactory assessment, and the audit team certified JGU’s energy-saving and sustainability initiatives as well implemented and noteworthy.

10. Future Commitments & Roadmap

• Work towards a net zero campus, with water conservation as part of campus sustainability.

• Continue to expand rainwater recharge, building on the growth from 59 to 67 pits and the five more planned, to reduce reliance on borewells.

• Complete the installation of water aerators and waterless urinals, alongside the sensor dispensers and circulation pumps already active.

• Maintain 100% treated wastewater for landscape irrigation and continue water-conscious planting.