Efforts to prevent untreated sewage from flowing into Powai Lake have gathered momentum, drawing cautious appreciation from residents and environmental groups. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has stepped up work to divert nearly 18 million litres of sewage that currently enters the 210 hectare wetland through 18 inlets.
According to reports in Deccan Herald, at a recent site briefing attended by local MLA Dilip Bhausaheb Lande and members of the Powai Advanced Local Management committee, officials confirmed that 1.1 km of pipeline has already been laid along the lake’s edge. The total planned stretch is 2.4 km. Thirteen labour gangs are working in sections, with completion targeted for May 2026.
The diversion will intercept several sewage lines, including seven to eight from the IIT periphery. IIT authorities have informed the civic body that they will separately manage sewer outlets originating within their campus.
STP Plan Triggers Tree Concerns
Even as the clean up plan progresses, the proposal to transplant 122 trees for an 8 MLD sewage treatment plant near Suvarna Mandir has raised alarm. The site reportedly houses 212 trees.
The treatment plant is expected to take two years to build. Until then, diverted sewage will be routed to the upgraded Bhandup Pumping Station, which is being enhanced to handle 225 MLD.
Pamela Cheema, chairperson of the BMC mandated ALM, acknowledged the civic body’s response to sustained citizen pressure but urged it to explore alternate alignments to reduce tree loss. She stressed that with deteriorating air quality, preserving mature trees is vital and transplantation should remain a last resort.
Ecological Balance At Stake
The NatConnect Foundation echoed these concerns, pointing out that transplanted trees in Mumbai often have a survival rate of less than 40 per cent. The group also highlighted the city’s already limited tree cover and the need to strengthen green buffers.
Activists described the sewage diversion as a significant breakthrough after years of neglect. They noted that earlier attempts to mechanically remove weeds failed because nutrient rich sewage continued to flow into the lake.
Powai Lake, once a drinking water source and now a notified wetland home to marsh crocodiles, has become a symbol of citizen led environmental vigilance. Residents maintain that restoring the lake must not come at the cost of sacrificing the very trees that protect it.
