PWD takes up Rs 10 crore work on wastewater reuse
Navhind Times | 9 hours ago | 06-05-2022 | 01:42 am
Navhind Times
9 hours ago | 06-05-2022 | 01:42 am
Staff ReporterPanajiThe wastewater reuse project in Panaji under the Smart City Mission appears to be becoming a reality as the public works department has taken up a `10 crore work to supply treated wastewater for watering parks and gardens.The project is expected to be completed by 2023. On completion, it will make Panaji the first smart city in the country to supply treated wastewater for green spaces free of cost.The work division-III of the PWD has commenced the work on constructing a sump and tanker-filling point near the T.B. Cunha college at Campal.Moreover construction of 300-cubic metre capacity tanks have also been planned at five locations in the city for holding treated wastewater. These tanks will be constructed near the Gymkhana, the Kala Academy, the Campalfootball ground, and also at the forest department office and thechildren’s park.Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, executive engineer at the works division-III (PHE) Nivruti Parsekar said the project has been aimed at making the treated wastewater available for government agencies, including the Corporation of the city of Panaji and the forest department as an alternative to freshwater for various non-potable uses.The department has plans to fix rates for commercial use of treated water: those users who want to utilise it at construction sites as also residents who want to use it for flushing and other non-potable purposes.The amount of water required for watering urban green spaces in the city is around 15 MLD of water every day. At present, freshwater is used for the purpose.About 12 MLD of treated wastewater from the sewage treatment plant (STP) at Tonca is available in Panaji every day. However, as there are no takers, the treated water is discharged into the St. Inez creek, which eventually flows into the Mandovi estuary.The STP, which was commissioned in 2005, has an installed capacity of 12.5 MLD; it is expected to increase to 29.5 MLD.The STP works on cyclic activated sludge technology (C-Tech) – an advanced sequential batch reactor (SBR) technology.The projected wastewater is estimated to be around 22 MLD by 2041.State agencies have made concerted efforts to push for decentralised sewage management to make compulsory the use of treated wastewater.The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) through a circular in 2019 mandated that all residential projects with 24 units and more must install STPs and ensure reuse of treated water.But despite these measures, wastewater continues to find its way into water bodies, and people continue sinking deeper borewells to tap depleting freshwater.The reasons for the wastewater treated in apartments going unused are negative perception, people’s lack of trust in treated wastewater and inadequate checks to ensure the quality of wastewater.
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