CHENNAI: The Chetpet sewage treatment plant (STP), which aims to reduce the load of untreated sewage being let into Cooum river, will become operational in two weeks, confirmed officials from the Chennai Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
The Chennai River Restoration Trust (CRRT) has taken up the Integrated Cooum River Restoration project, under which 60 sub-projects under different agencies including CMWSSB have been planned. For the purpose, funds to the tune of Rs 604.77 crore have been allotted. Of this Rs 186.19 crore was allotted to Metro Water Board for implementing 15 sub-projects.
One of the important projects and first to be completed is the Chetpet modular sewage treatment plant with a capacity to treat one million litres of sewage per day. “Testing, trial and rectification works have neared completion. The aim of the project is to collect sewage being let out into Cooum by four outfalls at Chetpet and treat the sewage. This ultimately reduces the weage load on Cooum,” said a senior official.
He further added, almost 80 per cent of encroachments along the banks of Cooum have been cleared. This project will be instrumental in replenishing the lake. This modular sewage treatment plant is based on the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) through which the process of treating is simplified and requires less space than the present technology. The leftover waste from the STP will be converted into manure.
According to unofficial estimates, there are around 900 sewage outfalls to the Cooum that are yet to be plugged. Apart from Chetpet, two more STPs are under construction at Langs Garden, Egmore and Choolaimedu.
“STP Egmore with a capacity to 10 million litres of sewage per day is 39 per cent complete and Choolaimedu STP with a capacity to treat 1.2 MLD is 67 per cent complete. Once they begin functioning, sewage being let into Cooum will reduce by a great margin,” said the official.