In a significant step towards sustainable water management, the Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (MAHAGENCO) has been expanding the reuse of treated sewage water at its thermal power stations. These initiatives aim to reduce dependence on freshwater sources while ensuring uninterrupted power generation.
One such project involves the reuse of 50 million litres per day (MLD) of tertiary treated sewage water from Chandrapur city for the Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS). The scheme was approved under the Government of India’s AMRUT Yojana and is implemented in coordination with the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation.
Reusing treated sewage water for power generation
Chandrapur Municipal Corporation currently operates two sewage treatment plants (STPs): a 45 MLD plant on the banks of Zharpat Nallah in Pathanpura and a 25 MLD plant at Chamhar Koti Nallah in Rehmat Nagar. CSTPS has approved the use of 50 MLD of tertiary treated water from the Rehmat Nagar STP for NDCT Units 8 and 9, marking a shift towards recycled water for industrial processes.
The reuse of treated water began in December 2023. The water is transported through an 800-mm diameter pipeline about 5.8 km long from the treatment plant to the power station. Once inside the plant, the pipeline splits into two streams that supply water to the forebays of NDCT Units 8 and 9.
At the power station, the treated sewage water is used for cooling, fire-fighting and ash handling, replacing filter water previously derived from raw water drawn from the Erai Dam. This shift reduces the plant’s dependence on natural freshwater sources. The sewage treatment process follows a multi-stage system designed to meet industrial standards.
In the tertiary stage, the water undergoes Fiber Disc Filtration (FDF) and disinfection through chlorination. The entire process is monitored through an integrated Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) automation system that tracks equipment health and water flow in real time.
Freshwater conservation and circular resource use
MAHAGENCO’s STP infrastructure is state-of-the-art |
The project replaces freshwater previously drawn from the Irai River with treated sewage water, with a reuse capacity of 50 MLD. By December 2025, the initiative had helped conserve 31.20 million litres of freshwater.
This approach preserves freshwater for urban and agricultural use while reflecting a circular water management model.
Sewage treatment collaboration
MAHAGENCO has also partnered with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation on a sewage treatment initiative near the civic body’s dumping ground at Bhandewadi in Nagpur. The 130 MLD sewage treatment plant at Bhandewadi was developed to treat municipal wastewater and reuse it at MAHAGENCO’s thermal power stations.
The treated water from this facility has been used at the Koradi Thermal Power Station since May 2022 for auxiliary cooling, reducing the need for freshwater. The initiative also aligns with guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on the reuse of treated sewage water in thermal power plants.
The project also ensures an alternative water source, enabling uninterrupted plant operations.
Large-scale water reuse for power plants
The broader Nagpur sewage treatment initiative processes around 200 MLD of wastewater, reducing pollution in nearby rivers and improving environmental conditions for downstream villages where river water is sometimes used for irrigation. The project also contributes to the environmental protection of the Gosikhurd Dam.
Of the treated water, 190 MLD is reused by MAHAGENCO’s power plants, including 100 MLD supplied to the Khaperkheda Thermal Power Plant and 90 MLD to the Koradi plant. By replacing freshwater consumption at these facilities, the same volume of water becomes available for urban and agricultural use.
