Can India learn from Israel’s remarkable journey to water security? 

If one country has demonstrated the transformative power of an effective approach to water security, it is Israel. Despite limited rainfall and harsh climatic conditions, Israel has become a global leader in water management by recycling nearly 90 per cent of its treated wastewater, the highest proportion anywhere in the world. Most of this reclaimed water is safely used for agriculture, conserving precious freshwater for drinking and domestic needs. 

Israel’s success did not happen overnight. It is the result of focused policies, advanced treatment technologies, strict water governance and, most importantly, a society that values every drop of water. 

Let us imagine if every apartment complex in Delhi, Mumbai or Dehradun could recycle the water it uses every day. India’s water crisis would look very different because the next global water crisis will not be caused by a lack of rainfall alone. It will result from our inability to manage the water we already have. 

Every day, millions of litres of freshwater are extracted for homes, industries and agriculture. After a single use, much of it is discharged as wastewater. This outdated “fetch, use and dispose” approach has become increasingly unsustainable, particularly in a country like India, where nearly 18 per cent of the world’s population depends on just 4 per cent of its freshwater resources. This imbalance makes water conservation, wastewater reuse and water circularity indispensable to the country’s sustainable future. 

The good news is that the solution already exists. It is called Water Circularity—the practice of treating wastewater as a valuable resource that can be safely recycled and reused instead of being discarded. 

India’s geography and population are very different from Israel’s, but the lesson is universal: the cheapest and most sustainable new source of water is the wastewater we already generate. The concept of Water Circularity is simple yet revolutionary. Instead of following the traditional model of use and dispose, it promotes a circular cycle in which water is efficiently used, collected, treated, reused and even transformed into valuable resources such as energy and nutrients. Treated wastewater can safely be used for landscaping, flushing toilets, industrial cooling, construction, gardening and groundwater recharge. Every litre reused is a litre of freshwater conserved. 

Recognising the urgency of this transition, the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) India Pre-Event Webinar was recently held on the theme “Water Circularity for Climate-Resilient Communities” in Dehradun on August 1. The webinar brought together over 300 registered participants and experts from the Central Ground Water Authority, the National Institute of Hydrology, government departments, academia and civil society to discuss practical solutions to India’s growing water challenges. 

Perhaps the most encouraging message from the webinar was that Water Circularity is not confined to governments or large industries. Every household can contribute. 

One simple innovation is dual plumbing, where separate pipelines are provided for potable water and treated recycled water. Water from bathrooms, wash basins and washing machines can be treated and reused for flushing toilets, gardening and cleaning. Modern residential complexes equipped with compact sewage treatment plants are already reducing freshwater demand by nearly one-third through such practices. Simple measures such as rainwater harvesting, repairing leakages, installing water-efficient fixtures, reusing greywater and supporting wastewater recycling in housing societies can collectively save enormous quantities of freshwater. 

Israel has shown the world what is possible when innovation, policy and public participation work together. India now has an opportunity to build its own model—one suited to its diverse geography, growing cities and ambitious development goals. In this, every citizen, every institution and every city has a role to play. 

Because the future of water security will depend not only on discovering new sources of water but also on recognising the immense value of the water we already use. 

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