Delhi's IGI Airport Achieves India's First Water-Positive Status for Major Hub

Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi has achieved a significant sustainability milestone, becoming India's first airport handling over 40 million passengers annually to be certified as 'water-positive'. This status, announced by Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), signifies that the facility replenishes more water into the environment than it consumes for its operations.

The airport's achievement stems from a comprehensive approach to water management, including 625 rainwater harvesting structures and two new underground reservoirs with a combined capacity of 9 million litres. A 16.6 million litres per day (MLD) zero-liquid-discharge sewage treatment plant further enables IGI to capture, store, and recycle water for various non-potable uses. Treated water is effectively reused in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, landscape irrigation, and toilet flushing, while a dedicated water treatment plant ensures high-quality potable water with minimal waste. Efficient water use is also maintained through advanced systems like sprinklers and drip irrigation.

This landmark accomplishment was formally recognized at the Water Innovation Summit 2025 in New Delhi, where DIAL received accolades for achieving scope I water neutrality under the Indian NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework. Water neutrality balances an organization's total freshwater use with savings generated through improved efficiency, reuse, and replenishment measures. Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of DIAL, emphasized that this reflects the airport's commitment to responsible resource use, environmental stewardship, and its long-term vision of becoming a net-zero airport, enhancing its resilience and climate readiness.