Our integrated water management approach focuses on risk assessment, conservation, efficiency enhancement and replenishment. It is implemented across our manufacturing facilities and extended to surrounding communities through local interventions and stakeholder engagement. Responsible water management is also linked to operational continuity, ecosystem protection and long-term water resilience.
We conduct water stress assessments at all our manufacturing locations in India using the Central Ground Water Board’s groundwater block classification. Based on the CGWB 2025 assessment, the groundwater blocks encompassing our Patancheru and Cuddalore facilities have been identified as water stressed as of 31 March 2026.
Our mitigation efforts focus on high-impact areas, including reduction in specific freshwater consumption, sustained Zero Liquid Discharge across manufacturing sites and community-based conservation initiatives. Climate risk assessments undertaken across decorative paint manufacturing plants using RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios further help evaluate long-term water-related risks, prioritise interventions at high-risk locations and strengthen site-level planning.
| Metric | Target 2030 | Performance in 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Specific non-process water consumption (KL/KL) | 0.24 75% |
0.44 54% |
| Water replenishment as a percentage of freshwater consumption | 600% | 589% |
Optimising water usage at Asian Paints
We continue to manage water use through a combination of source diversification, internal conservation and increased reuse. Water for our operations is primarily sourced from third-party suppliers and groundwater, supplemented by harvested rainwater from reservoirs developed within our premises.
A portion of withdrawn water is consumed in products, while the balance is used for domestic, utility and landscaping requirements. We continue to reduce freshwater dependence by maximising reuse and recycling wherever feasible.
Advanced treatment systems and closed-loop reuse practices enable us to maintain Zero Liquid Discharge across our manufacturing sites, reinforcing our focus on efficient water use and responsible wastewater management.
| Water withdrawal by source | Decorative Paint Manufacturing units (KL) | Standalone (KL) |
|---|---|---|
 Groundwater
|
54,790 | 61,513 |
 Third-Party
Water |
9,80,494 | 12,93,654 |
 Rainwater
|
1,27,799 | 1,27,799 |
| Total | 11,63,083 | 14,82,966 |
In FY 2025-26, water withdrawal at decorative paint manufacturing units stood at 1,163 megalitres. On a standalone basis, total water withdrawal was 1,483 megalitres, including 128 megalitres of harvested rainwater. Water withdrawn with Total Dissolved Solids of 1,000 mg/L or higher was limited to 5.4 megalitres, indicating low dependence on lower-quality water sources.
Steam condensate recovery at Ankleshwar
Steam is used across key processes in decorative paints manufacturing, making condensate recovery an important opportunity to improve both water and energy efficiency. At the Ankleshwar plant, unrecovered condensate was identified as a source of avoidable heat and water loss.
A condensate recovery system was installed to capture hot condensate and route it back to the utility system for reuse. The intervention helps reduce freshwater intake, recover residual heat and improve overall utility efficiency.
The initiative enabled approximately 1,200 KL of water to be reused through recovery and recycling, supporting reduced dependence on freshwater procurement and reinforcing our focus on efficient resource use.
Water conservation within factory premises
Within our manufacturing sites, we undertake a range of interventions to reduce freshwater dependence and improve water-use efficiency. These include rainwater harvesting, reuse and recycling of treated water, optimisation of utility and process water use, and regular monitoring of site-level water indicators including contextualised indicators.
We also focus on strengthening employee awareness and operational discipline around responsible water use. These efforts support day-to-day conservation, improve internal water circularity and complement our broader approach to water stewardship across factory premises.
Non-process water consumption at our decorative paint manufacturing units
Specific non-process water consumption at our decorative paint manufacturing units stood at 0.44 KL/KL in FY 2025-26, reflecting a 54% reduction from the FY 2013-14 baseline. Performance improved marginally over the previous year, despite the additional water requirements associated with capacity expansion and backward integration. The long-term trend continues to reflect sustained progress in improving water-use efficiency across our operations.
Rainwater harvested and consumed within the factory (megalitres)
Specific non-process water (KL/KL)
2013-14
Water replenishment and conservation outside factory premises
Within our manufacturing sites, we undertake a range of Outside our factory premises, we work with local communities to support water availability and strengthen watershed resilience in regions around our manufacturing facilities. Interventions include supply side initiatives such as pond rejuvenation, canal lining and integrated watershed management as well as demand side initiatives along with farmer training programmes that promote efficient and sustainable water use.
In FY 2025-26, these initiatives enabled water replenishment equivalent to 589% of freshwater consumption at our decorative paint manufacturing units. The interventions support groundwater recharge, improve water access for domestic and agricultural use, and contribute to ecosystem services in the communities where we operate. Further details are covered in the Community section of this report.
589%
water replenishment achieved as a proportion of freshwater consumption at decorative paint manufacturing units.