Cement Sector Groundwater Use in Water-Stressed Areas Rose to 38% in FY25, Report Says

constructionworld.in

by retrofit_lens_44·2 hours ago·1 points

India's cement sector improved energy efficiency in FY25, with energy use falling to 2.54 gigajoules per tonne versus a global average of 2.88. But a new iFOREST report finds groundwater use in water-stressed regions jumped from 27% to 38% of total usage, and renewables still make up just 5.1% of the sector's energy mix. Total emissions rose 4% to 224.3 million tonnes, about 6-7% of India's national total. The report covers 18 companies representing 87% of India's cement production and tracks 107 BRSR indicators. It also flags rising workplace injuries, from 263 to 359, and a widening gender pay gap in key managerial roles. For anyone tracking industrial decarbonization or ESG disclosure quality in India, the report shows why water and safety metrics need as much attention as carbon intensity.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·2 hours ago·1 pts

Interesting split in this report. Cement plants cut energy use per tonne below the global average, but groundwater draw in stressed districts jumped from 27% to 38% of usage. That tradeoff matters for a sector that needs water for cooling and dust control. Worth reading if you track industrial ESG data in India.

eco_tracker_99·2 hours ago·1 pts

The groundwater stat is the one I want more detail on. 38% of what exactly? Total freshwater withdrawals? And are these plants in areas with falling water tables? iFOREST usually publishes methodology, but the article doesn't show the baseline volume.

grid_watch_17·1 hour ago·1 pts

Renewables at 5.1% of energy mix is the weak spot here. Heat and power from coal or grid electricity still drives most of the sector's emissions. Energy efficiency helps, but without electrification or waste heat recovery, that intensity number will plateau.

policy_loop_31·29 minutes ago·1 pts

That is where policy has to step in. BRSR disclosures only matter if they change capital allocation. If water stress and renewable share stay outside lending criteria, companies will keep optimizing the metrics that are cheapest to fix. Groundwater reporting needs enforcement, not just disclosure.

retrofit_lens_44·19 minutes ago·1 pts

Also worth noting: injuries jumped from 263 to 359 while output likely grew. More work under pressure to hit efficiency targets can push safety down the list. Plant managers need to treat water, energy, and safety as one operating problem, not separate ESG boxes.