Empowering Communities Through Sustainable Water Management

In line with this year's Water Week theme, "Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World", it's time to reassess our relationship with one of the world's most vital resources, water. As the world grapples with the growing water crisis, it becomes increasingly important for all of us, individuals, businesses, and governments alike, to sow our own 'seeds of change' and actively participate in creating water-wise solutions. 

HCCB is geared to embrace this transformation from every level. From global strategies to grassroots interventions, our efforts are directed towards meeting the UN's 6th Sustainable Development Goal related to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Ensuring water circularity at HCCB 

From sustaining ecosystems to supporting industrial processes, the importance of water cannot be overstated. Water is a finite resource, and its availability, and quality are increasingly impacted by climate change, population growth, and pollution. Beverage manufacturing processes heavily rely on water in several production processes. Due to this, we are committed to minimising our impact on the environment by promoting several sustainable water management strategies. 

HCCB’s water strategy revolves around building resilience for a better-shared future. Innovation drives our water strategy, with consumption in our operations reducing by nearly 25% over the last 10 years.

We have been building resilience to climate change and replenishing large village ponds in priority watersheds, where we plan 100% recharge and thereby, foster water security; protect biodiversity and ecosystems and enhance agricultural yields and societal benefit wherever possible.

World Water Week 2023 gives us yet another opportunity to focus on innovation at a time of unprecedented challenges. The theme for this year “Water-wise world” (WWW) resonates with our circularity program on World Without Waste (WWW) - another flagship that harbours change so that we join our stakeholders to remain within the safe boundaries of our planet.

We believe in a circular economy where nothing goes to waste. By reflecting on the vitality of water in every ecosystem, our strategy focuses on achieving sustainable water security through local water replenishment and responsible water use throughout our operations and communities.

Leading the charge towards a sustainable ecosystem 

In harmony with The Coca-Cola Company's water stewardship requirements, we have undertaken several water-conscious operations over the years. Through our ongoing collaborations with NGOs, local authorities, and communities, we have achieved replenishment of over 100% of our total water consumption. Our regular procedure improvements have also supported us in consistently decreasing our water usage ratio from 2014 to 2022 (currently at 24% per litre of beverage).

With the introduction of the metric of regeneration, we reflect on the concept of circularity in our operations. This metric refers to a holistic approach to managing water resources with the aim to restore and improve the health of ecosystems and communities.  

Initiatives that make every drop count 

One part of our transformative effort towards water stewardship is our integrated watershed management project conducted in Betul, Madhya Pradesh. It is a remarkable example of how community-driven development can have a significant positive impact on people's lives. The project was designed to promote sustainable natural resource development and improve the livelihood of people in the area, with a strong emphasis on sustainable water management and agriculture.

Overall, the project has profoundly impacted human development indices such as health, education and housing. The efforts of local communities and project partners have led to significant improvements in groundwater conditions and the establishment of efficient community management systems for water demand and supply. By promoting sustainable agriculture practices, the project has helped increase the income of farmers in the area, leading to a tangible improvement in their quality of life.

Across the country, we have initiated various initiatives to regenerate natural resources and promote sustainable development, including Participatory Watershed Development in Sinnar Taluka of Nashik district in Maharashtra. By adopting participatory and community-driven approaches, the project is aimed at successfully enhancing agricultural productivity through watershed management, irrigation development, and weather-specific advisories. 

Additionally, various groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting projects have been implemented in different states of India, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Through these projects, groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting have become viable solutions to the issue of water scarcity, improving access to water for communities in these regions. 

Restoring the glory of the lake through rejuvenation 

Aimed at breathing new life into the ecosystem and reviving the glory of the Nalliguanda Lake, we collaborated with the panchayat to restore the lake. The restoration work involved a multi-pronged approach, with the dredging of silt, construction of retaining walls, strengthening of the bund, recharging the shaft, and creation of stormwater inlets among the key interventions undertaken.

The restoration project focused on improving the water storage capacity of the lake, which had depleted to the point of "dead storage." Through various restoration efforts, the lake has reached its full capacity of 216.41 million cubic feet. The restoration project did not only bring the lake back to its former glory but also helped improve the biodiversity around it. It is now listed as a prominent wetland for several rare species of birds, making it an essential habitat for the region's wildlife. The impact of this restoration project goes beyond the lake itself. Over 1,500 borewells in the surrounding area have been recharged, and the water level in nearby open wells has improved, leading to more reliable access to clean water for local communities. 

As a leading beverage manufacturer, HCCB understands the importance of sustainability in every aspect of our operations.  Looking ahead, we see that innovation will be critical, which is one of the five pillars of the UN’s SDG6 Global Acceleration Framework. The UN’s Water Climate Action Pathway gives an inspiring vision for 2050 in which the global water sector is entirely sustainable, and water is at the heart of a decarbonised ecosystem that delivers multiple additional benefits for society and the environment. Our efforts at Water Neutrality are well attuned to the recommendations of the recent NITI Ayog’s “Report on water neutrality for Indian industry” July 2023.   

We recognise that sowing the seeds of change involves embracing a comprehensive approach, which includes reducing, reusing, recycling, and replenishing our resources. With continued efforts, we hope to inspire others to join us on this journey towards a more water-conscious and sustainable world. Together, we can create a brighter and healthier future for ourselves and future generations.