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Water credit resources and references.
The regulations, standards and programmes behind water credits in India and worldwide, with a plain-English glossary.
Frameworks & standards
Official references
Links open the official websites. Always check the latest notified version.
Glossary
Water credit terms, in plain English
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Baseline | Water use or loss before the project, or what would have happened without it. |
| Additionality | The benefit would not have happened without the project (for example, it isn't already legally required or financially automatic). |
| MRV | Measurement, Reporting and Verification: the evidence chain behind every credit. |
| NRW | Non-Revenue Water: water a utility produces but doesn't bill, through leaks, theft or meter error. |
| KLD / MLD | Kilolitres per day / Million litres per day. 1 MLD = 1,000 KLD = 1,000 m³/day. |
| SWC | Specific Water Consumption: water used per unit of product, per person or per acre. |
| ZLD | Zero Liquid Discharge: all wastewater is treated and reused, with none discharged. |
| STP / ETP | Sewage Treatment Plant / Effluent Treatment Plant. |
| Water neutral / positive | Returning as much water (neutral) or more water (positive) than an organisation uses. |
| Retirement | Permanently using a credit against a claim so it can't be sold again. |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a water credit?
A water credit is a tradable or reportable certificate representing a verified volume of water that has been saved, recycled, recharged or restored compared to a baseline. Credits are usually denominated in volume (for example cubic metres) and are only issued after independent verification.
Who can earn water credits?
Any entity that creates a measurable, additional water benefit: municipalities reusing treated sewage or cutting losses, industries recycling effluent, campuses and real-estate projects harvesting rainwater, and farmers adopting micro-irrigation or recharge, usually grouped through an FPO.
Who buys water credits?
Mostly companies with water-stewardship, water-neutrality or ESG goals, especially water-intensive sectors such as beverages, textiles, data centres, pharma and automotive. Some programmes also let credits be used against compliance obligations. Demand and prices depend on the programme.
Does Watraq issue credits itself?
No. Watraq does the measurement, data, documentation and verification support. Credits are issued by the relevant programme or registry after independent validation and verification. We never promise issuance or a price.
What does a water audit report include?
A water balance from source to discharge, metering assessment, specific water consumption, losses and leakage, STP/ETP performance, recycling and rainwater harvesting potential, regulatory compliance, and a costed list of actions with payback periods.
How long does a water credit project take?
A pre-feasibility review takes 1–2 weeks. A water audit typically takes 3–6 weeks depending on size. Credits need a monitoring period of usually 12 months of metered data before verification.
Do I need new meters or IoT devices?
Usually some. Credits depend on reliable data, so we check existing meters first and only recommend new flow meters, level sensors or quality analysers where there are gaps.
Is my data secure?
Each project has its own access controls. Every reading and document is time-stamped and kept in a tamper-evident log, so you and your verifier can trust the record. You own your data.
Turn every litre into verified value.
Book a 30-minute call with the Watraq team. We'll look at your water data and tell you honestly whether a water credit project is viable.