How do I fill the BRSR water discharge table by destination and treatment level?

Kilolitres by where the water went: surface water, groundwater, seawater, third parties and others, each split into no treatment and with treatment, naming the level. That is Principle 6 essential indicator 4. Add the rows for total discharge; withdrawal minus that total gives consumption.

The five destinations

Each row has two lines, no treatment and with treatment, and the second asks you to specify the level. A note asks whether an external agency assessed the figures.

• Surface water: a river, drain or lake through your own outfall.
• Groundwater: water returned below ground.
• Seawater: a marine outfall.
• Sent to third parties: a common effluent treatment plant, a municipal sewer, or another company that takes your water.
• Others: anything that fits none of these; say what it is.

Levels of treatment

SEBI's guidance note describes three. Primary removes solids that settle or float. Secondary removes what remains dissolved or suspended. Tertiary raises the water to a higher quality before discharge, for example removing heavy metals, nitrogen and phosphorus. Water clean enough to need no treatment can be reported as such, with an explanation.

Where the numbers come from

• Flow meter logs at the ETP outlet and at each outfall.
• CETP invoices or statements in kL.
• Sewer connection records for domestic sewage.
• Your consent to operate for the permitted limits; but report metered actuals, not the limit.

Mistakes that show up

• Effluent that gets primary treatment before going to the CETP is "with treatment, primary", not "no treatment".
• A zero liquid discharge plant that still sends domestic sewage to a sewer has discharge to report.
• Total discharge larger than withdrawal, which usually means a meter or unit error.
• Zero liquid discharge is the next question, essential indicator 5, not this one.

Worked example: a plant that withdrew 60,000 kL

• (i) Surface water, with treatment (tertiary): 6,000 kL
• (iv) Third parties, with treatment (primary), to the CETP: 30,000 kL
• (iv) Third parties, no treatment, domestic sewage to the municipal sewer: 4,000 kL
• Total discharged: 6,000 + 30,000 + 4,000 = 40,000 kL
• Consumption: 60,000 minus 40,000 = 20,000 kL

Example figures.

What Senseible does here

Senseible's BRSR draft is built from the electricity bills and fuel invoices you upload, covering the energy and Scope 1 and 2 rows. The water table needs your meter logs and CETP records.

• BRSR reporting
• Water withdrawal vs consumption
• The zero liquid discharge question
• Water intensity for BRSR

Sources: SEBI, BRSR format updated July 2023 (Annexure II to the BRSR Core circular), SEBI, master circular of 11 July 2023, Annexures 16 and 17 (earlier BRSR format and guidance note)

Last reviewed 2026-10-31.