We supported Hon Hai Technology Group in India with a resilient wastewater reuse system that strengthens water security while reducing cost and operational complexity.
The challenge
Water scarcity is increasingly shaping how industrial facilities plan, operate and grow. In water‑stressed regions, climate variability, fewer rainy days and longer droughts are placing pressure on both municipal supplies and industrial operations. For water‑intensive sectors such as electronics, battery and semiconductor manufacturing, securing reliable water sources is now a critical business risk.
In Chennai, India, Hon Hai Technology Group faced these challenges as it expanded its campus through Phase III development. The site needed to treat domestic wastewater generated by approximately 20,000 employees across production lines, dormitories and canteens. The new wastewater treatment plant was required to process up to 3,000 cubic metres per day, operate within a limited footprint and adapt to fluctuating flows and loads.
Beyond regulatory compliance, the client set a clear ambition: achieve zero liquid discharge. All treated wastewater would be reused on site, reducing dependence on municipal supply and supporting long‑term sustainability goals in a water‑scarce region.
A resilient wastewater reuse solution
We designed a wastewater treatment and reuse system centred on moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) technology, selected after evaluating conventional activated sludge and membrane bioreactor approaches against site constraints and operational needs.
MBBR is a biofilm-based biological treatment process in which microorganisms grow on free-moving plastic carriers within the reactor. This provides a stable and protected surface for biological activity, supporting effective removal of organic matter and nutrients even under variable hydraulic and organic loads. Compared with membrane-based systems, MBBR offers a compact footprint, high resistance to shock loading and simpler operation, without the need for sludge recirculation or membrane cleaning.
For the Chennai campus, we integrated MBBR into a treatment train that includes preliminary screening, flow equalisation, sedimentation, ultrafiltration and sludge dewatering. Ultrafiltration was incorporated to meet local authority requirements, while the overall system was designed so that the biological process alone delivers strong baseline effluent quality. This approach provides operational flexibility, reduces lifecycle costs and improves resilience.
This is resilient water reuse, not just wastewater treatment.
Outcomes and long-term value
After commissioning and several months of operation, the system demonstrated consistently strong performance. Key parameters, including chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, turbidity and E. coli, met reclaimed water standards. Notably, high effluent quality was achieved even without activating the ultrafiltration unit.
The completed facility enables full reuse of treated wastewater across the Hon Hai Chennai campus, achieving zero liquid discharge in line with Indian regulatory requirements and internal sustainability targets. The system reduces reliance on municipal water supplies, strengthens resilience to drought, and lowers operational and maintenance costs through a simpler, more robust treatment process.
More broadly, the project shows how industrial facilities in water-scarce regions can deliver practical, scalable wastewater reuse solutions. By combining proven biological treatment with flexible advanced processes, we helped translate ambitious sustainability goals into reliable, day-to-day operational performance.