Here Is What Rest Of India Can Learn From Nagpur, Which Will Be First City To Recycle More Than 90% Of Sewage Water

It is not a secret that cities across India are set to face an acute water crisis in the not so distant future. With the groundwater levels frequently going down the existing water sources have been proven ineffective in many cities to meet the ever rising demand. One of the solutions suggested for this is the recycling and reuse of sewage water, which will otherwise go waste.

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A number of cities across India have already began taking steps in this regard. But Nagpur is set to become the first Indian city that will recycle more than 90 percent of the sewage water it generate.

Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is in the process of increasing the capacity of its treatment plants to with an aim to recycle 480 million litres of the total 525 million litres per day (MLD) is generated in the city, The Times of India reported.

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An NMC official told The Times of India that state-run National Thermal Power Station (NTPC) has agreed to procure 150 MLD treated sewage.

Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited (Mahagenco)had also an MoU to procure 190 MLD of treated sewage water for its Koradi and Khaparkheda thermal power stations.

What is even more impressive is that the NMC eyes to cover all the its expense for the sewage treatment from selling the water to the NTPC and Mahagenco, the report added.

The 'Nagpur Model' is definity commendable and something that other cities in India can take a cue from.

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According to the Report on the Composite Water Management Index, by the NITI Aayog last year, 600 million people face high-extreme water stress.

One of the solutions to overcome this is to recycle waste water, which can then be distributed and used for everything from gardening, toilet and laundry, which accounts for most of domestic water usage.

Bengaluru which is generating 1,600 MLD sewage only recycles about 600 MLD, meaning that almost 80 percent is going waste. The untreated water then flows to other water bodies like lakes and rivers, polluting them, which then leads to the bizarre phenomena like the Bellandur lake which catches fire. Bengaluru, which is predicted to be the first Indian city that will run out of water urgently need to step up its game in recycling and reusing wastewater.

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Neighbouring Chennai which too is facing a similar situation is in the process of increasing its recycling capabilities.

The city generates around 580 MLD of sewage. The Tamil Nadu Government recently allocated Rs 86 crores to rejuvenate the city's water bodies using treated sewage water. According to the plan which is based on IIT-Madras's ¡®recycling and reusing¡¯ model, treated sewage water will be pumped into the water bodies, which will then help in increasing the ground water levels.

¡°With less than 14% of water available in the water bodies in and around Chennai now, we are looking for all possibility to rejuvenate the water bodies. Hence, we have adopted the IIT-M¡¯s model where sewage water is being treated and pumped into the lake. This methodology helps to recharge the groundwater and also create a sustainable water source,¡± a Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board official told The Times of India.

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In Delhi which generates waste water of over 2,600 MLD, around 1,600 MLD is treated and 338 MLD is reused.

Last year, the Delhi Government had also proposed to supply treated sewage water to though Delhi Jal Board's pipelines.

According to the proposal, treated sewage water will be pumped to Palla, where it will mix with river water channel. It will then flow downstream 11km to Wazirabad where it will be treated again before it is supplied to individual homes.