Indian Express 14.12.2009
Civic body picks holes in govt’s water solution
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has rubbished the state government’s plan to set up the city’s first desalination plant in six months, saying it will not be an immediate solution to the water crisis. Instead, they say, the expensive project will serve as a showpiece for political parties seeking to get mileage out of the crisis.
For years, the Shiv Sena-BJP ruled BMC had been promising to supply desalinated water from the sea. The Congress-NCP government picked up the cue with Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, under pressure because of the crisis, announcing the plant in the Assembly on Friday.
But a BMC water department official said, “Desalination is expensive and even then the water can only be for non-potable use. Water on the coastline has sewer and effluents from various sources mixed in it. Recycling of sewerage would have been cheaper and more effective.”
Desalination costs Rs 50-60 per 1,000 litres and the water must then be processed further to make it potable. A plant of 1 million litres per day (mld) would cost an estimated Rs 10 crore. Sewerage water treatment costs around Rs 10 per 1000 litres.
The civic administration also plans to make it compulsory to make bulk consumers and commercial complexes put recycled water to non-potable use: in air-conditioners, toilets, landscaping and gardening.
The BMC’s desalination plan, demanded by Sena corporators, hit a setback after an IIT-Bombay feasibility study came up with a negative report. But the present crisis forced a revival, following political pressure. It has received permission to set up a 5-mld plant at Navy Nagar, Colaba. Eighteen companies have shown an interest; a pilot plan up to 1 mld will come up.
