Plastic ‘Externed’ By Police: Glass Bottles Replace Packaged Water At Mumbai Police HQ

Mumbai: Known for externing criminals, the Mumbai Police have now “externed” plastic and this time, it’s for the environment. In a unique and eco-friendly initiative, the Mumbai Police Commissionerate has completely stopped the use of plastic bottled water within its premises. Instead, drinking water is now supplied in reusable glass bottles. To support this transition, an in-house RO (Reverse Osmosis) plant has been set up within the Commissionerate. Every day, more than 500 bottles are cleaned, refilled, and distributed.

This move has significantly reduced plastic waste while also ensuring access to clean drinking water, positively impacting the health of officers and staff. The harmful effects of plastic on the environment had become a growing concern. Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti took note of the large volume of plastic waste generated due to bottled water consumption within the office premises. As an alternative, he proposed the use of glass bottles. However, supplying water to nearly 1,000 personnel through glass bottles posed a logistical challenge.

To address this, an RO plant was installed near the canteen inside the Commissionerate. Operated by contract staff, the plant processes water daily and fills 250 ml and 500 ml glass bottles, along with 20-litre jars supplied to different floors across buildings. Bottles are first cleaned using automated machines and then filled with purified water. These are distributed to officers as per requirement and collected again in the evening for reuse.

Three-Day Usage Rule : Each bottle is sealed after filling and marked with the date to ensure traceability. If a bottle remains unused for three days, the water is discarded and not served.

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Regular Quality Checks : Police Officer stated that the quality of water is checked regularly. Parameters such as potability and mineral content are monitored daily using measuring devices at the plant. Additionally, water samples are periodically sent to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s laboratory in Dadar for testing.

Optimal Use of Water : The plant processes over 500 litres of water daily, out of which around 50 percent becomes potable. Care is taken to ensure that the remaining water is not wasted. Non-potable water is reused for washing empty bottles and for cleaning purposes in the canteen, such as mopping floors and cleaning tables.

This initiative stands as a model for sustainable practices within government offices, combining environmental responsibility with efficient resource management.

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