With India transitioning from semiconductor aspirations to establishing a real domestic fab ecosystem, water is becoming a vital component of the manufacturing infrastructure puzzle. Semiconductor fabrication demands not only ultrapure water (UPW) but also a highly dependable, integrated system that handles source-water variability, purification, recovery, reuse, and wastewater.
CN Water has spent over 35 years solving India's difficult water problems across industries. Semiconductor manufacturing has very stringent purity requirements that CN Water says it has been addressing for a long time, and many of the underlying challenges. Source-water variability, reliability, validation, monitoring, lifecycle management along with sustainability - are all familiar territory says Shoeb Kurawadwala, Founder and Managing Director, CN Water. In this conversation, Kurawadwala outlines the water challenges fabs are likely to face, the case for greater localisation, and how digitalisation, recovery, and end-to-end water management could shape the next generation of semiconductor infrastructure in India. Edited excerpts.
