CHENNAI: The Indian pharmaceutical industry is a big consumer of water . As per estimates by Frost & Sullivan, the water and waste water treatment market for the pharmaceutical industry in India earned revenues of Rs 5.08 billion in 2011 and this is expected to move up to Rs 9.47 billion by 2016, growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 13.3 per cent.

“Currently, India’s pharmaceutical industry is third largest in the world in terms of volume and the fourteenth largest in terms of value,” said Frost & Sullivan. “As both international and domestic demand for pharmaceuticals soars, India’s pharmaceutical industry is poised to expand rapidly, fuelling the need for additional water and waste water treatment equipment,” added the report.

Manufacturing of medicines require high-purity water in the production process and the waste water stream can be heavily laden with toxins, contaminants and organic nutrients which needs to be treated before disposal, requiring water and waste water treatment equipment.

Government support for India’s pharmaceutical sector will be accompanied by stricter governance on water and wastewater usage. For the past ten years, the government of India (GoI) has adopted various means to strengthen the pharmaceutical market. The GoI has allowed 100% FDI (foreign direct investment) in the drugs and pharmaceuticals sector. Various SEZs ( special economic zones ) have been established all over the country.