Textile Wastewater: High-Impact Zero Liquid Discharge for Sustainable Effluent Treatment

The textile industry is a vital contributor to India's economy, but it is also one of the largest consumers of water and a significant source of industrial wastewater. Dyeing, finishing, and washing processes release effluents laden with dyes, salts, heavy metals, and other chemicals, contributing to high chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and non-biodegradable pollutants. Conventional wastewater treatment technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO), multiple-effect evaporators (MEE), and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are effective but highly capital- and energyintensive, making them unsuitable for small- and medium-scale industries. This paper explores the use of coagulation–flocculation (C–F) as a cost-effective and scalable method to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) in the textile industry. By optimizing coagulant type, dosage, and process conditions, this approach significantly reduces COD and color at a fraction of the cost of advanced methods. Adetailed comparison of ZLD technologies demonstrates that C–F is an effective pre-treatment or standalone option, providing an economical solution to wastewater recycling and reuse, supporting both environmental compliance and water conservation.