Clearford India Update Q3 & Q4 2024

By Sanjay Deshpande, Executive Director & Head of Operations, Clearford India

As we move further into 2025, the Clearford India team is proud to reflect on the project advancements and new global entry strategy. Despite challenges from the monsoon season in Q3 2024, the team ended the year on a strong note, completing key projects, advancing exciting new opportunities, and exploring new target verticals.

Our strategic push to enter the government sector in the 2025-26 Indian financial year is gaining momentum, with inquiries for projects in three states—Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Gujarat, as well as the Union Territory of Ladakh.

In Q4, the Clearford India team exhibited at IFAT 2024 in Mumbai, showcasing the Clearford One™ system and the UV Pure^® Hallett^® system. Additionally, the team participated in a trade mission to the State of Karnataka. Both events reflect Clearford’s commitment to sustainable water and sanitation solutions.

Projects Underway

HINDALCO Muri Unit – Phase 2

Clearford is responsible for the design engineering and project execution supervision, while on-site construction and workforce management are handled separately. The project has experienced approximately six months of delays due to labour availability challenges affecting on-site progress. During Q4 2024, Clearford successfully manufactured and delivered the required M&A components, and the project has now reached 40% completion. We remain actively engaged with HINDALCO to address challenges and accelerate progress towards completion.

Ghoramara Village, Assam

In this CSR-funded project initiated by Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Co. Ltd., Clearford completed the sewer network and constructed toilets for 11 previously unserved households. This sewage treatment plant (STP) is nearing completion, and we aim to commission the project by the end of Q1 2025. As part of our efforts to encourage similar solutions across Assam, we plan to invite the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to the inauguration.

Pictured 2: Muri Digesters Under Construction

Pictured 3: Mixers at Manufacturing Unit

Lucknow Pilot Project – Indian Army

This pilot, starting with a single 20,000 L Clearford Smart Digester and expanding into a 15m³ STP, was completed and is now under evaluation by the Indian Army. This project, along with the Himachal Pradesh project mentioned below, represent a significant milestone in Clearford’s entry into the Indian Armed Forces, which includes hundreds of smaller unsewered military bases across the country.

Averipati Army Base, Himachal Pradesh

This project is progressing on an ambitious timeline throughout Q4, with all civil works completed and approximately 75% of the Clearford CAMUS 25m³ STP installed. Unexpected logistical challenges, such as sourcing bricks from over 200 kms away due to their unavailability in the Hill States, led to considerable delays and cost escalations. Despite this, the project is on schedule for completion in Q1 2025, with commissioning and handover by March 2025.

Clearford has been responsible for design and project execution supervision, while the Indian Armed Forces through a local contractor, have managed the construction. This collaboration has provided valuable insights into executing projects in remote and high-altitude locations and further strengthened Clearford’s expertise in challenging environments.

Pictured 4: Kautuk Patel, Project Manager, Inspecting the Civil Works at Averipati

New Project Exploration

During the second half of 2024, the Clearford India team actively pursued new opportunities, including:

Birla Carbon Unit, Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Submitted a Feasibility Report and a Water Audit Report.
McCain Plant, Mehsana, Gujarat: Finalized the design and Bill of Quantities (BOQ) for expanding the sewer network and constructing an additional 50m³ The project is expected to be awarded in February 2025.
Campus of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Agartala, Tripura: Continued discussions with potential clients in Northeastern India for river pollution mitigation efforts in Guwahati, Assam and potential work on at NIT in Agartala, Tripura.
GMR Thermal Power Plant, Warora, Maharashtra: Met with the management team to address their water sustainability and management challenges. Following a site visit, a Feasibility Report was submitted to the client, and a contract decision is expected soon.
Rajkot City Municipal Corporation in Gujarat: Conversed with the Rajkot City Municipal Corporation about a USAID funded urban resilience project focused on sanitation infrastructure within the city.
Etawah District, Uttar Pradesh: As part of Clearford India’s broader efforts to expand into government-led sanitation projects, we began examining villages in Uttar Pradesh that could benefit from improved sanitation infrastructure. Two villages have been identified in Etawah District, aligning with the state government’s mission to deliver clean living conditions to all of the State’s 155 million residents.Mr. Deshpande is scheduled to visit the region in January 2025, along with local officials, to finalize the number of villages to be included in Phase 1 and assess on-ground conditions to ensure there are no local issues that would prevent the execution.

UltraTech Cement Unit, Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Discussions for Phase 2 of the project near Jodhpur, Rajasthan have begun. In the previous update, Clearford India Update Q3 2023, readers may recall that this Unit is located in a diminishing water availability zone, where Phase 1 involved installing sewer infrastructure in nearby communities to generate additional water for the plant.
War Hero Colony, Ladakh: Mr. Deshpande continued efforts to secure CSR funding for a sanitation project at the War Hero Colony located at 3000m elevation in Leh, Ladakh. The residential colony houses both the families of Indian Army soldiers who died in the 1999 Kargil War and the recipients of India’s highest civilian awards. Several corporations have expressed interest, and the project is scheduled to commence and be handed over between April and October 2025.

Pictured 6: War Hero Colony, Leh, Ladakh

Global Project Exploration

Clearford India continues to explore opportunities in Senegal, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Among these, the Senegal Project has advanced the furthest, with the client expressing interest but also assessing how to best utilize the large volume of treated water that will be produced after execution.

Clearford India in the News

In the second half of 2024, Mr. Deshpande participated in several prominent events, including the much-delayed Canada Urban Trade Mission, key programs hosted by Indo-Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC) and Canada India Business Council (CIBC) programs, and an exhibition at IFAT Mumbai 2024.

Pictured 7: Sanjay Deshpande at ICBC Mumbai Board mtg with Ms. Jennifer Daubney, Charge de Affairs (front row, middle), and Ms. Marie-Louise Hannan, Director General South Asia, Global Affairs Canada (front row, Second from Right)

Despite ongoing political tensions between India and Canada, trade and business collaborations remain unaffected. Both Canadian and Indian officials reaffirmed their support for cross-border business partnerships, ensuring companies, like Clearford, can continue their operations in India.

Pictured 8: Mr. Desphande Exhibiting at IFAT, Mumbai

Mr. Deshpande was also invited by the US Consulate to meet with the Management Team of National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to explore potential opportunities for collaboration.

Clearford India’s participation at IFAT 2024 generated significant interest in the Clearford One™ system and the UV Pure^® Hallett^® system. Follow-ups with prospective partners are underway, highlighting the potential of these solutions to address India’s most pressing sanitation challenges.

As we anticipate more interesting updated in the near future, we invite you to stay informed about Clearford’s projects in both India and Canada by subscribing to our newsletter.

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