WWF’s work in the Noyyal-Bhavani basin was launched in 2018 with a desire to take an integrated a landscape approach to basin water stewardship efforts.

The Noyyal and Bhavani sub-basins are critical for the water security of the region and home to unique wildlife in the still relatively pristine upper water source areas. As the rivers continue downstream, they enable much of the agricultural and industrial economy of the region.

The textile and garment industry has long been a crucial sector to the economy and is a major factor in the livelihoods of people in the basin. The textile industry clusters are predominantly located in the middle Noyyal region, in the cities of Coimbatore and Tiruppur. According to recent data, approximately 29,000 units are involved in various stages of textile production in the middle Noyyal region.

The water stewardship project in the Noyyal Bhavani Basin has the ambition was to address shared basin challenges and has a strong foundation of science-based actions, test pilots to help inform policy making in the region and clear key performance indicators, which will measure the impact on the landscape.