Beyond Wastewater: Turning Used Water into a Resource

Key Highlights:

• The Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) is promoting Used Water Management (UWM) to treat, recycle, and reuse wastewater.
• Water Plus certification provides guidelines for cities to manage wastewater and ensure satisfactory treatment standards.
• Open Defecation Free (ODF) ++ protocols strengthen this approach by assessing safe management of sewage, faecal sludge, and septage.
• Under SBM 2.0, projects worth ₹11,785 crore have been approved to add 4,900 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of sewage treatment capacity in small cities.
• Treated water is being reused in agriculture, horticulture, industry, road cleaning, and lake rejuvenation across various cities.

Detailed Insights:

• UWM aims to prevent untreated sewage from reaching water bodies and enable safe reuse, making Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) central to the process.
• Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are empowered to formulate long-term, city-level plans for wastewater reuse, supported by technological advancements.
• Jaipur's Dehlawas STP (215 MLD) uses Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) technology and a SCADA system, discharging treated water into the Dravyavati River.
• Indore became the first city to receive Water Plus Certification, demonstrating a model for sustainable sanitation and used water management.
• Surat has established four tertiary treatment plants (116 MLD combined capacity), treating wastewater as an economic resource for industrial and other non-potable uses.
• Navi Mumbai, a five-star rated and Water Plus certified city, has upgraded its STPs and achieved 100% mechanised cleaning of sewer lines.
• Tirupati has developed a revenue model by selling 5 MLD of treated water to Srikalahasthi Pipes Ltd. from its 50 MLD STP, generating ₹6 lakhs per month.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Used Water Management (UWM): A holistic approach to collect, treat, recycle, and reuse wastewater as a valuable resource.
• Water Plus certification: A recognition for cities that ensure all wastewater generated is treated and reused, preventing discharge into the environment.
• Circular Economy: An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources, applied here to water.
• Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR): A type of activated sludge process for treating wastewater in batches, commonly used in STPs.