UPSC CSE Prelims 2013
Thermal power plants are the largest industrial consumers of water in India. Water is primarily utilized for steam generation to drive turbines, cooling purposes within condenser systems, and ash handling. Given India's significant reliance on coal-based thermal power, this sector accounts for a substantial portion of the total industrial water usage.
Engineering industries consume water for processing and cooling, but their overall water demand is considerably lower compared to thermal power generation.
The paper and pulp industry is water-intensive; however, its scale of operation and total water consumption are less than that of the thermal power sector.
Textile industries require significant amounts of water for processes such as dyeing and washing, but their cumulative water usage remains substantially below that of thermal power plants.