Why Mumbai’s STP project got lion’s share of funding in this year’s BMC budget

Here’s a look astatine wherefore the STP task received a large chunk of backing successful this year’s BMC budget.

What is the STP project?

An STP is simply a attraction installation that scientifically treats wastewater for potable and non-potable uses. The STP task being executed by the Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP) section volition spot 7 STPs being constructed crossed Mumbai with a corporate capableness of treating 2,464 cardinal litres (MLD) of h2o regular for potable usage. In summation to this, the STPs volition person a combined capableness to dainty 1,232 MLD of h2o further for non-potable use.

Where volition these STPs travel up?

The STPs are being constructed astatine 7 locations successful Mumbai – Worli, Bandra, Dharavi, Versova, Malad, Ghatkopar and Bhandup. Of these 7 STPs, the largest 1 is located successful Worli, which volition person a capableness of treating 500 MLD of water, followed by Malad (454 MLD), Dharavi (418 MLD), Bandra (360 MLD), Ghatkopar (337 MLD), Bhandup (215 MLD) and Versova (180 MLD).

Why is the STP task important for Mumbai?

Being an land city, Mumbai does not person immoderate earthy resources to gully its h2o from. Daily, the BMC supplies 3,800 MLD of h2o to Mumbai which comes from 7 antithetic lakes, 5 of which are located successful the outer districts of Thane, Palghar and Nashik. Of the full h2o received, astir 80 per cent oregon 3,040 MLD is converted into sewage oregon wastewater aft usage. Also, the h2o that is supplied by the BMC has a shortfall of 400 MLD since Mumbai’s existent request is 4,250 MLD each day.

“Our occupation is that Mumbai is utilized to throwing its full sewage and wastewater into the oversea that would spell heavy by astir 8 to 10 km. The wide volumetric sludge of sewage collected each time is equivalent to the size of Powai Lake,” Bhushan Gagrani, Municipal Commissioner and state-appointed administrator, said successful an Idea Exchange organised by The Indian Express connected January 21.

Therefore, successful a bid to span the shortage of request and supply, the BMC mooted the STP task truthful that it tin recycle astatine slightest 2,464 MLD oregon 80 per cent of Mumbai’s regular sewage h2o and bring it backmost to the metropolis for its potable usage, which successful crook volition span the shortage of regular h2o supply, starring to adjacent organisation of water.

What is the existent presumption of each STP?

Of the 7 STP projects, Bhandup, Ghatkopar and Dharavi are acceptable to beryllium operational by July 2026, portion the facilities astatine Bandra, Versova and Worli are acceptable to beryllium operational by July 2027. The Malad installation is acceptable to go operational by 2028.

According to the BMC’s fund document, the highest advancement of completion of 28 per cent is recorded astatine Ghatkopar, followed by 26 per cent astatine Bhandup, 20 per cent each successful Dharavi and Bandra, 18 per cent astatine Versova, 17 per cent astatine Worli and 7 per cent astatine Malad.

Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Projects, who is spearheading this operation, told The Indian Express, “Of the assorted infrastructure projects that BMC has taken up, the STP task is moving good connected schedule. The civilian works for the Malad installation could lone statesman successful 2024 since the process of onshore acquisition and situation clearances took time. Yet successful this abbreviated while, we person achieved important progress.”

“Once they are ready, these STPs volition not lone span the demand-supply spread of h2o proviso successful Mumbai by a important borderline but besides volition lend towards controlling h2o contamination arsenic well,” Bangar added.