WELL Labs, Bengaluru and AquaMAP prepared a comprehensive roadmap for the water future of Tamil Nadu on behalf of the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission. The study addresses a critical challenge facing the State: enabling rapid economic growth and urbanisation while safeguarding its finite and increasingly variable water resources.

The project adopts a forward-looking, data-driven approach to water security, moving beyond conventional supply-centric planning towards a circular and resilient water economy. It assesses the State’s surface water, groundwater and wastewater systems, integrating satellite-based datasets with field-level observations to develop a contextual understanding of water availability, demand, quality and management gaps.

The study examines emerging pressures from agriculture, urbanisation, industrial growth and climate variability, while identifying opportunities to optimise every drop of water. It evaluates innovative approaches including Managed Aquifer Recharge, treated wastewater reuse, restoration of traditional water bodies and decentralised water recycling, drawing on relevant national and global best practices.

The resulting roadmap translates these insights into phased short-, medium- and long-term actions. It emphasises data-driven planning, inter-departmental coordination, technology adoption and community participation to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s hydrological resilience and support its ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy.