# Treated sewage to data centre ignites protest in water-scarce city 2026-08-14T21:43:40+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets A municipal corporation in a metro city priced treated sewage at ₹7.50 per kilolitre for a proposed hyperscale data centre, sparking a rally and a demand for a stay. The city faces a daily potable water shortfall of 30 million litres, but the 12 MLD allocated to the data centre is treated sewage, not drinking water, the Economic Times reports. The Central Pollution Control Board says urban India generates 72,368 MLD of sewage but treats barely 20,000 MLD; the rest flows into rivers. Meanwhile, in Ghaziabad's Khora area, residents told DW they dig 1,000, 1,200 feet for groundwater. The Central Ground Water Board estimates withdrawals in Ghaziabad at 272% of the recommended share. Over 300 data centres nationwide consumed an estimated 150 million tons of water in 2025, and more than half sit in water-stressed regions. Uttar Pradesh's 2026 Data Centre Policy draft promises 'uninterrupted 24x7' water supply for data centres. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com - yahoo.com Tags: Central Ground Water Board, Gujarat, Ministry of Environment, Punjab Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/treated-sewage-to-data-centres-is-smart-critics-miss-the-point/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/treated-sewage-to-data-centres-is-smart-critics-miss-the-point/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.