In a first, BMC to supply treated sewage water to Cricket Club of India for maintenance of ground, lawns

“To date, we have been using the treated water for various civic works, such as road washing, firefighting, and landscaping in BMC’s gardens. This will be the first time that the water will be supplied to a private stakeholder for non-potable usage,” a civic body official told The Indian Express.

According to civic body sources, the move followed the CCI administration’s request for authorities to supply 100 kilolitres of treated water daily. They said BMC will start providing the treated water to CCI from next week.

BMC will charge a nominal fee of Rs 21 for every kilolitre of water, and the authorities stated that the civic body will supply water for eight months annually, except for the four months during the monsoon.

“The CCI administration will be arranging tankers which will fill the water from the filling point of the STP. In total, we aim to generate a revenue of Rs 16 lakh annually by supplying water,” the official said.

At present, Mumbai generates 2,190 MLD of sewage daily, of which only 22.65 MLD, or 1 per cent, is recycled for non-potable usage. The remaining untreated water gets flushed out of the city through the sewage outfalls into the sea and creeks.

Upgrading Mumbai STPs

BMC has four functional STPs in Mumbai at Colaba, Banganga, Chembur, and Charkop.

Of these four STPs, the Colaba STP, operational since 2020, is the largest, with a maximum capacity to treat up to 37 MLD of sewage daily. However, as of today, this STP recycles 15 MLD of sewage daily, sourced only from Colaba.

The Colaba STP functions as a tertiary water treatment facility that recycles the water and makes it fit for non-potable use. BMC plans to upgrade this plant to an Advanced Treatment Plant (ATP) in the near future so that the recycled water is fit for human consumption.

The official said this step is being taken to bridge the gap between water demand and supply in Mumbai. At present, Mumbai requires 4,200 MLD of water daily, of which the BMC can supply 3,850 MLD.

“The water will be disinfected, and a process of mineralisation will be carried out so that the overall quality of recycled water matches the quality of drinking water that is being supplied by BMC daily,” said the official.

In addition, in 2023, BMC initiated a Rs 28,000 crore STP project to construct seven STPs with a capacity to treat 2,464 MLD of sewage daily. These STPs are expected to become operational in a phased manner from 2026 onwards.