Depleting groundwater pushes industries towards tankers, increases output cost

Indore: Falling groundwater levels across industrial belts are forcing industries that earlier relied on borewell water to increasingly depend on external supplies to meet operational requirements during the peak summer month.

Industries in clusters such as Palda, Pithampur and Sanwer Road said declining water tables and reduced borewell yields have started affecting industrial activity, with many units now calling multiple water tankers daily to sustain operation.

“Earlier, many industries were able to meet most of their requirement through borewell water. But falling groundwater levels have reduced availability and industries are increasingly relying on water tankers,” an industrialist from Sanwer Road industrial area Tarun Vyas said.

MSMEs said sectors such as food processing, confectionery, pharmaceuticals, engineering, packaging and dal mills are among the worst affected as uninterrupted water supply remains critical for production.

Industrialists said dependence on tanker supply has increased operating costs and introduced fresh uncertainty in daily operations.

“Water tankers often do not arrive on time and the delay directly affects production planning. If a tanker is delayed, manufacturing schedule gets disrupted and industrial processes suffer,” an industrialist from Palda industrial area Harish Nagar said.

Industries also said higher TDS levels are forcing companies to invest in additional filtration and treatment systems, adding further cost burdens.

Industrial bodies have sought long-term solutions including strengthening piped water infrastructure, groundwater recharge initiatives and improved industrial water supply systems to avoid recurring summer disruptions.

Industry players said water scarcity is increasingly emerging as an operational challenge for MSMEs, adding pressure on industries already facing heat-related productivity losses and power-related disruptions.