IGIA’s shift from being groundwater‑stressed to replenishing more water than it consumes was formally recognised at the Water Innovation Summit 2025 in New Delhi.
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) has become the first airport in India handling more than 40 million passengers annually to achieve ‘water‑positive’ status, operator GMR Aero Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) announced.
In a landmark transformation, IGIA has moved from being groundwater‑stressed to replenishing more water than it consumes. The achievement was formally recognised at the ‘Water Innovation Summit 2025’ in New Delhi, where DIAL was felicitated for successfully achieving ‘Scope I Water Neutrality’ under the NITI Aayog-CII Water Neutrality Framework. The accolade positions IGIA as a global pioneer in sustainable, climate‑resilient airport infrastructure.
More than 625 rainwater‑harvesting structures have been installed across the airport. Two newly commissioned underground reservoirs with a combined capacity of 9 million litres enable large‑scale rainwater capture and storage. A 16.6 million litres per day (MLD) zero‑liquid discharge sewage treatment plant recycles 100 per cent of wastewater, which is reused for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, landscape irrigation, toilet flushing, and other non‑potable applications.
Efficient irrigation systems, including sprinklers and drip technology, minimise water use across landscaped areas. A state‑of‑the‑art water treatment plant ensures high‑quality potable water for passengers with minimal wastage. Completion of the Scope I Water Neutrality Assessment under the NITI Aayog-CII framework highlights DIAL’s robust water measurement, monitoring, conservation, and restoration practices at the watershed level.
Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEO of DIAL, said, “Becoming water‑positive reflects our deep commitment to responsible resource use, environmental stewardship, and the future of aviation infrastructure. More importantly, this achievement is a significant step towards our long‑term vision of strengthening IGIA’s position as a net‑zero airport.”
IGIA’s achievement sets a powerful benchmark, proving that even high‑capacity hubs can implement sustainable water management at scale. By harvesting rainwater, recycling wastewater, and reducing consumption, the airport eases pressure on local water sources — a critical priority in water‑stressed regions. Its integrated approach offers a replicable model for airports, industrial zones, and large urban infrastructures worldwide.
This milestone also complements IGIA’s broader sustainability credentials. It is already Asia’s first airport in its category to achieve ‘Level 5 Carbon Accreditation’ under Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Carbon Accreditation programme.