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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has approved selling treated wastewater from its Colaba Sewage Treatment Plant to private entities, creating a new revenue stream and conserving freshwater. About 3 million litres per day will be supplied at a concessional rate to projects including construction and landscaping. The plant has a total capacity of 37 MLD, with tertiary treatment for 10 MLD. While some civic members prefer using treated water for municipal purposes like cleaning and watering gardens, the move highlights a growing focus on resource efficiency and partial cost recovery for STP operations.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has taken steps to utilise treated wastewater from the Colaba Sewage Treatment Plant more effectively. The civic standing committee approved selling approximately 3 million litres per day of treated water to private entities at a concessional rate of INR 15 per 1,000 litres. This treated water, previously discharged into the Arabian Sea due to limited demand, will now be supplied to projects such as the Orange Gate tunnel by L&T, other construction activities, and landscaping of gardens. Advertisement
The Colaba STP has a total capacity of 37 MLD, including a tertiary treatment facility that handles up to 10 MLD. Tertiary treatment, which adds an additional purification step, costs around INR 12 per kilolitre and produces water suitable for non-potable applications. Non-potable water in Mumbai is generally supplied by private vendors at rates between INR 15 and INR 18 per kilolitre, making the BMC's pricing competitive.
Treated wastewater can be used for a range of non-potable purposes such as construction, cleaning, gardening, and landscaping. Selling it is expected to generate revenue for the BMC, helping recover part of the capital costs of setting up the STP and the ongoing operation and maintenance expenses, while also supporting freshwater conservation. Currently, about 1 MLD of treated water is already supplied to the Indian Navy, establishing precedent for external use.
Some councillors have expressed concerns over selling treated water externally. Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Shailesh Phanse suggested that the priority should be saving drinking water by using treated water for municipal purposes like road cleaning, fire brigade operations, bus depot maintenance, and other civic needs. MIM corporator Zameer Qureishi questioned the sale to private firms, recommending internal utilisation for civic services instead.
The initiative reflects BMC's ongoing effort to optimise wastewater management, reduce freshwater usage, and recover operational costs. Previous proposals have explored similar reuse strategies, including advanced treatment technologies, indicating a long-term focus on sustainable water solutions for Mumbai.
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