India's water crisis is about management, not rainfall, says Bisleri CEO

New Delhi: Despite receiving roughly 4,000 billion cubic meters of annual rainfall, India’s rapidly depleting per capita water availability has escalated into a severe management crisis that poses direct financial risks to businesses, according to Bisleri International CEO Angelo George.

Speaking at the Mint Sustainability Summit 2026 held recently in Mumbai, George warned that India's per capita water availability has plummeted by 75% over the past 70 years. If the current trajectory remains unchecked, he noted, large urban centers will face critical shortages by 2035.

"The NITI Aayog 2023 report says that the water crisis accentuates the financial risk for businesses in India. It is not a challenge of rainfall, it is a crisis of water management and governance," George said, adding that the future of the water sector relies on intelligent resource optimization rather than merely increasing supply.

To mitigate these growing environmental and operational risks, the packaged drinking water major is aggressively expanding its conservation footprint. According to George, Bisleri has integrated rainwater harvesting infrastructure across its facilities and is actively restoring local watersheds. Extending its mandate to rural areas, the company is building check dams to support farmer livelihoods and has committed to constructing at least one new reservoir every year.

Strategy, not obligation

George highlighted that Bisleri is positioning sustainability as a growth strategy rather than a regulatory obligation, arguing that environmental initiatives can strengthen consumer trust and enhance brand value in an increasingly competitive market. He said the 55-year-old packaged drinking water maker has refreshed its branding in recent years to remain relevant to younger consumers while integrating sustainability into its core business strategy. The company has expanded its sports marketing partnerships in India and overseas, reinforcing its positioning around hydration and wellness.

For the packaged water industry, he identified packaging, water security and energy use as the three biggest sustainability challenges. While plastic remains under scrutiny, he argued that the material itself is not the problem; rather, inadequate waste collection and recycling systems are the primary challenge.

George said Bisleri's ‘Greener Promise’ sustainability platform stands on two pillars—improving plastic circularity through its ‘Bottles for Change’ programme and promoting water conservation through initiatives aimed at replenishing groundwater resources. The company claimed it was among the first in India to become plastic-neutral by recycling more plastic than it places in the market. It also said it replenishes 4.7 times the water it extracts from the ground.

PET peeve

The company defended its continued use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, arguing that lifecycle assessments indicate PET has a lower carbon footprint than alternatives such as glass and aluminium. According to the executive, glass has roughly five times the carbon footprint of PET because of its energy-intensive manufacturing process, while aluminium production also carries a significantly higher environmental cost.

He maintained that packaging decisions should be based on product safety, affordability, scalability and lifecycle emissions rather than on public perception alone. "We are not in the business of selling plastic. We are in the business of selling water," he said, adding that any alternative packaging material must be commercially viable and capable of serving India's mass market.

The company said changing consumer behaviour remains critical to improving recycling rates. Through its Bottles for Change programme, Bisleri has established collection systems for used plastic and partnered with municipal bodies, educational institutions and government agencies to improve segregation at source.

According to the company, the initiative now operates across 65 municipal corporations and five national parks. It has also set up material recovery facilities in protected forest areas and launched public awareness campaigns, including benches and bookshelves made from recycled plastic waste to demonstrate value addition through recycling.

Bisleri has also advocated the creation of a water credit market, similar to the one for carbon credits, to reward measurable improvements in water conservation. The company said its research, carried out with scientific institutions, found that a significant portion of its water footprint lies outside factory operations, highlighting the need for broader, ecosystem-wide resource management. It has also increased the share of renewable energy in its operations to 37% and expanded the use of electric vehicles and forklifts to lower emissions across its logistics network, the company said.