Mumbai: The BMC has taken up a pilot project to treat sewage in slum areas along the coastal road. 4 lakh 85 thousand liters of sewage can be treated every day under the project. Currently, sewage from coastal road project areas and slums near the sea is discharged directly into the sea. The treated water will be used in restrooms and parks in the area, the administration said. Under BMC's Smile Incubation program, new startups will be given the opportunity to work with the civic body through the project.
There are slums at four different places along the coastal road. These include the Shivajinagar area near Tata Park, the Daryanagar area on the south and north sides of the Mahalaxmi temple and the area behind Markandeshwar in front of Lovegrove pumping station on Annie Besant Road. All four areas have a population of about 9,500. Work is in progress to set up a sewage plant to suit the needs of this population. Of these, work on the processing plant at Shivajinagar has been completed and the work of the remaining three is also going on at a fast pace, said Shashi Bala, head of the business development department and director of Smile Council.
This is a green STP project which requires very little power and maintenance compared to traditional wastewater treatment technology. This will not only solve the problem of slum sewage but will also be able to recycle treated water for gardening in the restored area. Also, there will be no foul smell or mosquito menace around the proposed project. Apart from this, the beautiful flowering plants used for the project will add to the beauty of the area - Shashi Bala, Director, Principal Business Development
With the help of integrated wetland technology, it will be possible to recycle the cleaned water for parks or toilets. Since the processing plant is underground, it will also be possible to plant trees on the site where it will be located. Since no traces or dirt of water spread to the area during or after the process, the relevant site may remain in constant use.