Ahmedabad: Treated sewage water to keep Sabarmati river flowing

Ahmedabad: The non-perennial Sabarmati river, which relies on Narmada water to keep it flowing throughout the year, is now likely to replenish its supply from the city’s treated sewage water, according to a proposal mooted by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). “Today, Sabarmati has to be sustained by channelling Narmada water into it. But water from Narmada may not be available forever once work on Sardar Sarovar dam’s canal network is over as Narmada may not have requisite water for Sabarmati,” Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra said. [caption id=“attachment_974803” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Cattle cross polluted waters of the river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. Reuters[/caption] “Currently, we have a secondary treatment plant at Pirana (on the outskirts of the city), where sewage water is being treated,” Mohapatra said. A 60 mld (million litre per day) tertiary sewage treatment plant will be set up in Pirana using the latest technology, he said. “This tertiary sewage treatment plant will treat 60 mld sewage water from Pirana and that flowing within the interceptor drainage lines alongside the Sabarmati river front before releasing it in the river,” Mohapatra further said. “This is expected to divert 150 mld treated water daily to the river, which will replace Narmada water and ensure continuous flow in Sabarmati,” he said. Currently, the secondary sewage treatment plant at Pirana treats 860 mld (million litres per day) sewage water daily. Apart from keeping the non-perennial river (which doesn’t have water throughout the year) Sabarmati brimming with treated water, it will aid aquatic life and farmers will get clean water to irrigate their fields. Currently farmers irrigate their fields with highly toxic water, Mohapatra said. Regarding the cost of the project, a civic official said treating sewage and making it quality tertiary water (for bathing purposes) will cost Rs 4-6 per 1,000 litres at current rates, which is higher than treating Narmada water. Secondary sewage water treatment costs around Rs 1-2 per 1,000 litres, the official said. Mohapatra said that the project, being undertaken for the first time in the country, will cost Rs 250 crore and is expected to take at least two years to complete. The proposal for the project was passed last week by the civic body’s standing committee and has been sent to the state government for approval. The civic body has sought 50 percent funding from the state for the project, an official said. “We will also submit a detail project report within some days to the Union government and seek funding for it under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM),” the official added. PTI