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In Mumbai: Thane civic body to generate electricity from sewage
Will also sell treated water to industries and commercial establishments
To reduce the power consumption of the grid, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has decided to use sewage treated at its Kopri plant to generate electricity.
The civic officials said this will make the sewage treatment plant (STP) self-sufficient. The proposal will be tabled before the general body this month.
The proposal also suggests selling treated water to industries and commercial establishments for non-potable purposes. At present, the treated water is released into the creeks.
The TMC built the STP at Kanhaiya Nagar, Kopri, in 2013-14 under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
While the processing capacity of the plant is 120 mld, the civic body undertakes primary and secondary treatment of 42 mld sewage daily.
The project was developed keeping in mind the city’s population till 2036. The city generates 300 mld of sewage
daily.
A civic official said, “We will set up a biogas plant at the Kopri STP to treat the sludge from the sewage. The sludge will be separated from the 42 mld of sewage treated daily, which will be turned into gas and then electricity. Several firms have shown interest in the project and will foot the bill.”
The electricity generated will be used for operating the STP, which will help the TMC and the firm operating the plant to save on electricity bills.
“Currently, the sewage water is subjected to primary and secondary treatments and then released into the creek. We are now planning to subject this water to tertiary treatment so that it can be reused for non-potable purposes. The water will be treated by the same agency which will generate electricity and will be sold to commercial and industrial establishments. About 10% of profit will be shared with the civic body,” the official said.
The TMC also wants to set up 100 mld STPs at Kalwa and Ghodbunder. But the Kalwa STP is already facing opposition from the residents.
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