Delhi IGI Airport Becomes India’s First Water-Positive Facility: Key Facts on Harvesting and Recycling

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) has achieved the distinction of becoming India’s first water-positive airport among those handling over 40 million passengers annually. This recognition, conferred at the Water Innovation Summit 2025 under the NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework, marks a major milestone in sustainable infrastructure.

Delhi IGI Airport Becomes India’s First Water-Positive Facility: Key Facts on Harvesting and Recycling

What Water-Positive Status Implies

A facility is considered water-positive when it replenishes more freshwater than it consumes. IGI achieved this by significantly expanding its water conservation and recycling efforts.

Key Water Infrastructure

IGI Airport’s success is based on extensive, smart water infrastructure:

• Rainwater Harvesting: The airport operates 625 rainwater harvesting structures to capture maximum runoff.
• Storage Capacity: It utilizes two underground reservoirs with a combined capacity of 9 million litres for storage and groundwater recharge.
• Wastewater Recycling: The airport uses a 16.6 million-litre-per-day (MLD) Zero-Liquid-Discharge (ZLD) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), ensuring that every drop of wastewater is treated and reused.

Efficient Usage and Sustainability

• Reuse: Recycled water is primarily used for HVAC operations, landscape irrigation, and toilet flushing, drastically reducing the demand for external water sources.
• Smart Systems: The use of automated sprinklers and drip irrigation systems helps optimize usage and minimize wastage.

The airport operator, Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), emphasizes that this achievement significantly boosts climate readiness and aligns with the long-term goal of converting IGI into a net-zero airport.

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Question & Answer

Q1. Which airport has become India’s first water-positive airport among facilities handling over 40 million passengers annually?
A) Mumbai International Airport
B) Chennai International Airport
C) Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi
D) Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
Answer: C) Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, Delhi

Q2. Under which framework was the IGI Airport recognized as water-positive at the Water Innovation Summit 2025?
A) UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
B) Ministry of Jal Shakti’s Jal Jeevan Mission
C) NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework
D) International Water Association (IWA) Standards
Answer: C) NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework

Q3. What does the status of being “water-positive” mean for a facility?
A) It consumes exactly the same amount of water as it replenishes.
B) It consumes more water than it replenishes.
C) It replenishes more freshwater than it consumes.
D) It relies only on external water sources.
Answer: C) It replenishes more freshwater than it consumes.

Q4. What is the capacity of the Zero-Liquid-Discharge Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) used by IGI Airport for complete wastewater recycling?
A) 9 million litres per day
B) 16.6 million litres per day (MLD)
C) 40 million litres per day
D) 625 million litres per day
Answer: B) 16.6 million litres per day (MLD)

Q5. What is the long-term goal that Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) aims to achieve, which is supported by its water-positive status?
A) Expanding passenger capacity to 100 million annually.
B) Converting IGI into a net-zero airport.
C) Opening a third underground reservoir.
D) Achieving 100% solar power for all operations.
Answer: B) Converting IGI into a net-zero airport.

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