Indian Plumbing Association to partner with IIT-Madras on water and sanitation technologies

The Indian Plumbing Association (IPA) will sign a memorandum of understanding with IIT-Madras (IIT-M) to collaborate on water and sanitation technologies in December. The association will host its 32nd Indian Plumbing Conference at the Chennai Trade Centre in the city between December 17 and 19.Addressing a press conference held in the city on Friday, the association’s national president, Gurmeet Singh Arora, highlighted the critical issues faced by metropolitan cities, such as Chennai, and the need to increase awareness on reuse of water to conserve freshwater resources. The association works with government agencies and the Ministry of Jal Shakti to reduce non-revenue water, which is estimated to account for nearly 30% of the water supplied in India.The collaboration with IIT-Madras will enable research and development in water and plumbing products besides promoting public awareness of water reuse and the adoption of low-flow fixtures.The association will release its publication, A Guide to Good Plumbing Practices,in Tamil at the conference, to equip regional stakeholders and professionals with better knowledge of plumbing practices. The conference will deliberate on subjects, including operation and maintenance of water, wastewater, and plumbing systems in hotels and healthcare facilities and best practices in design and installation in airports and Metro Rail stations. Discussions will also cover challenges related to water efficiency, wastewater treatment, and reuse and integration of smart monitoring technologies and solutions to make Chennai water-positive, said S. Virapan, chairman, IPA Chennai chapter.With nearly 100 exhibitors, the event will showcase innovative products and advanced technologies. About 50 experts from across the country are expected to take part in panel discussions. The association will also unveil a newly developed code, ‘Water and Sanitation in the Built Environment: Concepts, Systems and Services Planning,’ at the conference. Entry to the event is free. Published - November 14, 2026 12:57 am IST