Mumbai, June 18: The BMC's 215 million litres daily (MLD) Bhandup Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), one of seven being built under the city's sewage treatment upgrade programme, is in its final phase and is slated for commissioning by October 2026.
The plant will use advanced primary, secondary and tertiary treatment to generate reclaimed water for industrial use, gardening, construction and other non-potable purposes, reducing dependence on freshwater sources, a civic official said.
As Mumbai battles a water crisis amid the delayed monsoon, lakhs of litres of potable water are still used daily for non-potable purposes such as bathing, washing and cleaning.
The city's seven STPs will treat 2,464 MLD of sewage using secondary and tertiary technologies, with half of the treated water upgraded to tertiary standards for reuse, reducing dependence on freshwater and curbing pollution in creeks, rivers and the Arabian Sea.
While work on all seven STPs is currently underway, the Bhandup STP is set to be commissioned within the next three months. Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide inspected the project on Wednesday.
Advanced treatment to produce reclaimed water
"The plant will use advanced treatment technology to produce high-quality reclaimed water for industrial use, public sanitation, construction and other non-potable purposes, reducing pressure on natural water resources. It will also ensure scientific sludge treatment, curb water pollution and strengthen Mumbai's sewage treatment capacity, while promoting environmental sustainability and public health," said Bhide.
Construction work is also underway for a pipeline to transport tertiary-treated water from the Ghatkopar STP to the Bhandup STP and onward to the Bhandup complex.
Sewage treatment upgrade project sees cost escalation
The ambitious project to upgrade seven STPs—stalled for nearly two decades—was awarded in May 2022 at a cost of Rs 25,963 crore. However, delays on multiple fronts and a 6% increase in GST have pushed the project cost to Rs 27,309.83 crore.
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New 2,000 MLD water treatment plant under construction
Meanwhile, Bhide also reviewed the construction of the new water treatment plant at the Bhandup complex. The existing plant, commissioned in 1979, has outlived its operational lifespan and is being replaced with a state-of-the-art 2,000 MLD facility on a 7.4-hectare site.
The Rs 4,124-crore project, being executed by Welspun Enterprises with Veolia as the technology partner, is slated for commissioning by July 2028.
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