Indian Express 12.04.2010
Civic body looks at water recycling plant for revenue
Express News Service Tags : corporation, water Posted: Monday , Apr 12, 2010 at 0004 hrs
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is looking to turn its under-construction water recycling plant in Ghatkopar into a source of sustained additional revenue. The plant is expected to be operational in two years.A senior civic official said the BMC could earn upto Rs 18 lakh per day as royalty from the plant which is expected to generate 150 million litres daily. This would be the first time that the civic body gets into a public private partnership for such a water recycling plant, said D L Shinde, Deptuy Municipal Commissioner, (Engineering).
The BMC earlier called for expressions of interest from private firms to treat sewage water and make it available for non-potable purposes for commercial use. “By this year-end we will finalise the private player,” said Shinde. An official said that seven players have been shortlisted. The contract will be awarded on a design-build-operate and transfer basis.
The waste water treated at the recycling plant will be supplied to industries or other commercial establishments at rates higher than those for supply of drinking water to residential consumers but the rates are expected to be lower than what the BMC currently charges for commercial establishments.
According to BMC officials some of the recycled water from the Ghatkopar treatment plant could be conveyed to Deonar dumping ground. Also companies such as Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and institutes such as BARC could be sold the recycled water.. At present the BMC sells raw sewage to RCF and has a sewage treatment plant in Worli which supplies water to Mahalaxmi race course.
