Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has joined the list of civic bodies planning to sell treated sewage water to private parties, in a bid to make the most out of its resources.

Three months ago, the NMMC floated tenders asking interested parties to buy treated sewage water. This water is not potable, but can be put to industrial use. It can also be used in infrastructure projects and for gardening and cleaning purposes.

“We floated global tenders and received applications from four parties of which one was disqualified. We are scrutinising the technical bids of three parties,” said Surendra Patil, additional city engineer. The three parties are Ramkin Infrastructure, IVRCL Infrastructure and ILFS

Infrastructure.

According to Patil, whoever wins the contract will have to make the arrangements for transporting the treated water. The highest bidder would get the contract and also a concession period of 25 years.

Over a year ago the NNMC installed three sewage treatment plants, worth Rs 70 crore, at Airoli, Nerul and Vashi. All these use what is referred to as the C-Tech technology. The corporation has plans to construct five more plants.

Navi Mumbai currently releases more than 65 MLD of waste, which is treated using the said technology. Nerul and Vashi plants have a capacity of 100 MLD whereas Airoli plant can treat 80 MLD. Only industrial waste is currently treated.

“Since we have no provision for using the treated water, it is now released into the creek,” said NMMC commissioner Vijay Nahata. “The residue from the plants is being used in NMMC gardens,” said Patil.

Even as the three bids are under scrutiny, the corporation has got its first order. “CIDCO has demanded one MLD of treated water daily. We are unlikely to consider the demand as we would be selling the water through tenders,” added Patil.

What is C-Tech?

C-Tech, developed by an Austrian company, is being used by the NMMC at its Nerul, Airoli and Vashi treatment plants. The sewage water first enters the water treatment plants.

First, the solid particles are filtered. In the second phase, the water is treated for 180 minutes.