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Lucknow’s Aishbagh lake revival on cards
LDA plans a 1 MLD wetland sewage treatment plant at Jamuna Lake to combat pollution, improve ecology, and enhance urban greenery.
Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) plans to construct a wetland sewage treatment plant of one million litres per day (MLD) capacity at Jamuna Lake in Aishbagh to tackle pollution caused by untreated sewage. Officials said the project aims to revive the lake’s ecology and restore aquatic life in it.
LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar confirmed the development and said a request for proposal (RFP) has been prepared for the design, construction, and five-year operation and maintenance of the project. “The wetland STP will ensure that only treated water enters Jamuna Lake, which will significantly improve its environmental health,” he said.
According to LDA documents, the water body collects wastewater from over 1,000 households. The lake receives between 7.5 lakh and 10 lakh litres of wastewater daily, much of which overflows into a sewer line through a nearby pumping station. The unchecked inflow has caused the rampant growth of water hyacinth and endangered aquatic species, prompting urgent intervention.
The project is estimated to cost ₹3.42 crore, which includes the costs of its maintenance for five years. Spread over 1,460 square meters, the project will feature a six-meter-high collection tank, treatment chambers arranged in a declining pattern, and a final treated water collection unit.
A wetland STP is an engineered system that uses aquatic plants, soil, and microorganisms to treat wastewater by mimicking natural purification processes. It uses natural filtration and vegetation for purification. Wastewater passes through gravel, crushed bricks, and stones, while plants such as elephant grass, cattails, reeds, cannas, and yellow flag iris absorb pollutants.
“The wetland STP will prevent untreated sewage from entering Jamuna Lake, improve water quality, and restore the lake as a valuable urban asset,” another LDA official said.
Officials said the three-zone setup—inlet, treatment, and outlet—would be designed to reduce suspended solids by 70–80%, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by 78–84%, nitrogen by 70–75%, phosphorus by 52–64%, and fecal coliform by 90–97%.
The treated effluents will support urban greenery, with possible use in municipal gardens, fountains, and irrigation. LDA officials highlighted that the system is space-efficient, requiring just 21 square meters to treat 20 cubic metres of wastewater per day.
LDA officials noted that similar wetland STPs were operational at Omega Greens in Lucknow (500 KLD), Rudra Heights in Varanasi (100 KLD), and NRI City in Kanpur (100 KLD). Building on these successes, the Jamuna Lake project is expected to serve as a model for rejuvenating other lakes in Lucknow.
