Mumbai, June 19: Mumbai can expect to receive 1,233 million litres daily (MLD) of additional water supply by the end of 2027 as the BMC aims to commission its seven sewage treatment plants (STPs) by July 2027.
"Almost 60 per cent of the total project work is completed. The Bhandup STP will be commissioned in October 2026. Although the remaining plants are likely to be commissioned by July, we expect the tertiary treated water will be available for use from October-November 2027, as during rainfall treated water can be diluted," said a senior BMC officer.
Treated water to boost supply
The tertiary treated water will be non-potable (unfit for human consumption) and can be used for all purposes except drinking. As Mumbai faces a water shortage, the BMC's ambitious STP project will prove crucial in the future to meet the city's water demand.
The BMC is constructing a total of seven STPs across Mumbai, with a total capacity of 2,464 MLD (secondary treated), of which 1,233 MLD of tertiary treated water will be available for non-potable purposes. The remaining water will be released into the sea.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said that once the project is completed, Mumbai will have around 1,200 MLD of treated water, which can be used for all non-potable purposes such as industrial use, construction sites, cleaning and watering roadside plants.
Project progressing across city
After a delay of decades, the BMC finally started work on seven STPs in July 2022 at an estimated project cost of Rs 17,181 crore. The STPs are being constructed at Worli, Bandra, Dharavi, Versova, Malad, Bhandup and Ghatkopar.
"It is possible to complete the project by November 2027. The main challenge was commencing the project work, and the most technical and time-consuming work has been completed in the last four years. The remaining work is not very time-consuming," the officer said.
He added that the Worli and Bandra STPs use membrane bioreactor technology, while the Bhandup STP uses constant flow technology. The remaining four STPs use sequential batch reactor technology.
Relief for rising water demand
Once all seven STPs are commissioned, the project will provide significant relief for Mumbai as water demand continues to rise. Mumbai's current water demand (at source) is 4,665 MLD, which is expected to increase to 6,424 MLD by 2041.
While the current water supply stands at 4,100 MLD against a demand of 4,665 MLD, a significant quantity of water is lost due to leakages and theft.
The total capacity of all seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai dropped to 9 per cent on Friday. Amid the delayed monsoon, Mumbai is currently witnessing a 10-15 per cent water cut. To meet daily requirements, the BMC has curtailed water supply to construction sites.
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STP work progress and capacity
Worli – 56.30% (500 MLD)
Bandra – 60.42% (360 MLD)
Dharavi – 67.61% (418 MLD)
Versova – 64.84% (180 MLD)
Bhandup – 78.20% (215 MLD)
Ghatkopar – 59% (337 MLD)
Total capacity of seven STPs – 2,464 MLD (secondary treated)
Of this, 50 per cent will receive tertiary treatment and be available for non-potable purposes.
Total water available for non-potable purposes – 1,233 MLD
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