Mumbai: The BMC is struggling to find a consultant for its ambitious project of reusing the advanced treated wastewater for potable purpose. Even after extending the deadline for submission of bids, the civic body has now invited fresh bids to study the idea's feasibility. Also, it has tweaked the plan as earlier the point to moot was conversion of wastewater into potable ones. Now, the study will explore the possibility of integrating drinking water supply with the sewage treatment plant (STP) network.
It has undertaken a project of Rs26,000 crore for the upgradation of seven STPs. These facilities – located at Worli, Bandra, Dharavi, Versova, Malad, Ghatkopar and Bhandup – will treat 2,464 million litres of sewage daily under the Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project-II (MSDP). In addition to this, a project has been set up for the advanced treatment of wastewater received from these plants.
The initial plan was to release the treated water into natural water bodies. But the civic officials came up with an idea of making the treated water potable. In September, the BMC floated a tender to appoint a consultant to study the idea's feasibility. Various aspects that the study would have covered were the existing water supply network, how a new network can be created, how it can be connected to the existing ones, and what process needs to be done on treated sewage. But, the BMC couldn't get a suitable consultant, so they extended the deadline for submission of bids till December 17, 2022.
“The project for upgradation of seven STPs will take three more years. So, now we have decided to check if it will be possible to integrate potable water in the existing system. We are working on 2-3 options where the advanced treated water can be directly integrated in the existing system or in the service reservoirs. We have invited fresh bids (in this regard),” said the civic official.
BMC Additional Commissioner (Projects) P Velarasu said, “Earlier, the scope was conversion of sewage water into drinking water and also the integration aspect. Now, the idea is to study if potable water could be integrated into the existing (STP) network. Conversion is a technically different subject that can be done later. The scope was slightly different which made the consultancy complex. We have restructured the scope of work now.”
Bid floated
September 2022
Opening month
November
Extended deadline
December
Quantity of wastewater to be treated
2,404 million litre
Next step
Advanced treatment for potability
Current status
1,800 million litre treated, flushed
City's daily supply
3,850 million litre
Actual need
4,200 million litre
Conversion (of wastewater into potable ones) is a technically different subject that can be done later. The scope was slightly different which made the consultancy complex. We have restructured the scope of work now.
BMC official
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