How then is Jamshedpur handling its own water? Unfortunately individual consumption in our city, at 200 litres per person per day, is 25% higher than the guideline specified by the Indian Bureau of Standards.
We, as a township, are fortunate enough to have water supplied to 50% of the homes today. But that may not be the reality tomorrow. The company's Town Services and Works have both taken up campaigns to conserve and recycle water to protect our future.

Domestic Water Management
The domestic consumption for the entire city of Jamshedpur is 58 million m3/annum. This is supplied and managed over the entire steel city by Tata Steel itself. The quality of potable water supplied by it meets all international norms and parameters.

Earlier in the year, the company entered into an agreement with a world water management expert to take care of its water supply and sewage treatment plant, as well as suggest ways to conserve water. They studied the pattern of consumption and have identified opportunities for saving water. Water supplied through public stand pipes were found to be an immediate and significant area for conservation. Taps were put on 506 pipes, but within the first week all the taps were stolen. Loath to give up, all the taps were replaced by the company and now the residents of some of these localities have come to appreciate their importance.

At the same time, Water Management Services is preparing to launch an intensive campaign covering the city's schools and the company's employees to generate awareness on the need for water conservation.

By engaging private housing associations, a concerted attempt is also being made to reach out beyond company housing. Water harvesting is also being given due importance so that several such projects may be undertaken with the help of non-profit organisations such as the Rotary Clubs in the steel city.

Industrial Water Management
Over the years the company has been attempting to bring down the use of water in the process of steelmaking. Today, the plant uses much less water for every tonne of steel produced against that used a decade ago. The company does not use any ground water source for either industrial or domestic use at Jamshedpur.

Tata Steel has, over the years, undertaken various initiatives for optimising the use of water. Its increased emphasis on water recirculation in all process units has contributed to considerable reduction in specific water consumption. Specific water consumption (including that for power generation) has, therefore, in the last year alone been reduced by more than 1.5%. Close monitoring of water losses, recycling of ash quenching water from Power Houses, recycle of treated sewage water for steel making and recycling of waste water from various drains have all resulted in this achievement.

On World Environment Day this year, the Steel Works launched a Rainwater Harvesting campaign to further reduce its dependence on water from fresh water sources.