CHENNAI: With North Chennai expected to witness massive industrialisation after the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests lifted the ban on new industries in Manali, Chennai Metro Water is planning to replicate a Singapore model that reuses treated waste water, to fulfill the need of industries.
Called NEWater in Singapore, the plant purifies treated used water through advanced membrane technologies and ultraviolet disinfection to make it clean and safe to drink. The proposed project in North Chennai is expected to conserve fresh water in rain-fed lakes, from where industrial hubs are currently receiving water.
A senior Metro Water official told Express that the project involves erecting a 45 MLD Tertiary Treatment and Reverse Osmosis (TTRO) plant in seven acres of land. It will provide water supply to 34 industries besides fetching a revenue of `74 crore to Metro Water each year. At present, 36 MLD of secondary treated effluent is supplied to industries, which fetches a revenue of `15 crore per annum.
“We are planning to invite tenders in September and get the project executed within in two years from the date of work order,” the official said.
The project is significant since quite a few water intensive industries are expected to come up along the Manali-Ennore and Manali-Minjur corridors. They include TIDCO’s initiative for promoting a joint venture with Indo-Rama Synthetics for a new petrochemical project and a plastic industrial estate for a forward integration initiative besides LNG Terminal at Ennore Port and brown field refinery by CPCL.
A survey commissioned by Chennai Metro Water on the anticipated demand for water along Manali-Ennore Corridor and Manali-Minjur Corridor found that by 2015, 30 MLD would be required. That figure could shoot up to as much as 70 MLD by 2020, the survey conducted by ITCOT Consultancy said. Currently, most of the industries along these corridors do not have independent source of water and are dependent on Metro Water for supplying of surface or treated water.
“Once the project is completed, we would supply quality water. The quality would match that of potable water with turbidity less than 5, hardness less than 100 mg per litres and TDS less than 70 mg per litre and zero iron level,” the official stated.