Pilot plants in three villages in Gurugram show desirable results in treating local sewage: Officials

Of the three nature-based wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operational in Maujabad, Khentawas and Nawada villages in rural Gurugram, all have shown “desirable

Of the three nature-based wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) operational in Maujabad, Khentawas and Nawada villages in rural Gurugram, all have shown “desirable results” in treating sewage generated by local households, Gurujal officials said on Monday. Chemical analyses carried out at the Haryana Pollution Control Board’s district laboratory have shown that the treated wastewater conforms to India’s Discharge Standards for Treated Sewage, they added.

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The first of these three WWTPs (which are part of eight such facilities scheduled to become operational this year) was inaugurated in Farrukh Nagar’s Khentawas village in July. “Our assessment period, which lasts for a month and half since the plant starts operations, has been completed and the results are promising. The quality of the treated wastewater shows that the facility is performing as per expectations. The WWTP’s performance will get better over time as biological treatment systems improve as they adapt to local conditions,” said Sayani Halder, wastewater treatment specialist with Gurujal.

There are four main indicators, Halder explained, which reveal whether the WWTP is effective. These include biological and chemical oxygen demand, pH level, colour and odour, and turbidity of the treated water. “On all these fronts, the Khentawas WWTP and pond revival project has been successful. Though we cannot share the reports of the chemical analysis, we can say that the water is safe for both recharge and for secondary uses,” Halder added.

This is also the case with two other such plants, in Maujabad and Nawada villages, though these are yet to complete their six week assessment period. Nevertheless, preliminary tests have shown that these, too, are have been effective in treating wastewater from nearby households. “We will continue to test the water on a monthly basis even after the assessment period is complete,” Halder said

On the basis of these results, Gurujal officials said that these nature-friendly technologies will be scaled up across rural Gurugram, where over 700 water bodies have been earmarked for revival. “We will also implement them in urban areas where suitable. For example, in Wazirpur and Dharampur, such plants are already under construction. We also planning to use a similar solution to revive a water body in Subash Nagar in Gurugram city,” said Shubhi Kesarwani, chairperson, Gurujal.