The National Water Policy-2012 mandates recycle and reuse of water as general norm and advocates treatment to specified standards before reuse of waste water. It provides for properly planned tariff system to incentivize reuse of treated water in various sectors including industries, agriculture and others. It mentions that reuse of urban waste water from kitchen and bathrooms, after primary treatment should be encouraged in toilets ensuring no human contact.

Besides, a National Framework on Reuse of Treated Waste Water has also been adopted by Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. The framework will be a guiding document for the States to formulate their Reuse Water Policy and implement the same in a time bound manner. A draft policy template has also been developed as part of the framework to aid the preparation of reuse policy by the respective State Governments.

Arth Ganga initiatives being implemented as part of Namami Gange programme inter-alia has one of component for monetisation and reuse of treated waste water for irrigation and industrial purposes. Various interventions are considered under Arth Ganga component for reuse of treated waste water by entering into MoUs with various Ministries/Departments/PSUs and implementation of Actions plans thereof.

Government of India through the Power Tariff Policy 2016 has also mandated all Thermal Power Plants to use the treated sewage water from Sewage Treatment Plants(STPs) situated within 50 kms radius for non-potable purposes.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Shri Bishweswar Tudu in a  written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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AS