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

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/brsr-water-discharge-by-destination-question

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](https://senseible.earth/brsr-reporting)
- [Water withdrawal vs consumption](https://senseible.earth/answers/brsr-water-withdrawal-vs-consumption)
- [The zero liquid discharge question](https://senseible.earth/answers/brsr-zero-liquid-discharge-question)
- [Water intensity for BRSR](https://senseible.earth/answers/water-intensity-calculation-for-brsr)

Sources: [SEBI, BRSR format updated July 2023 (Annexure II to the BRSR Core circular)](https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebi_data/commondocs/jul-2023/Annexure_II-Updated-BRSR_p.PDF), [SEBI, master circular of 11 July 2023, Annexures 16 and 17 (earlier BRSR format and guidance note)](https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebi_data/attachdocs/jul-2023/1689087475880.pdf)

Last reviewed 2026-10-31.