HMWSSB is gearing up to supply treated water from STP for gardening in parks

For the first time, efforts are being made for extensive use of treated water from Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) for gardening in parks in Hyderabad.

To begin with, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is gearing up to supply treated water from STP at Durgam Cheruvu to its Rainwater Harvesting theme park and five other municipal parks on Road No. 45 and 51, Jubilee Hills.

To this effect, a pipeline covering a distance of 2.2 km from the STP at Durgam Cheruvu to the Rainwater Harvesting theme park and the other municipal parks is being laid. HMWSSB is taking up these works at a cost of Rs 80 lakh. At present, nominal quantity of treated water is used by different organisations, including the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) for gardening in parks.To make good use of the treated water and reuse it effectively, HMWSSB is now gearing up to supply such water to the parks. The idea was to set an example by making optimum use of treated water. More importantly, this would also aid in less use of borewell water and improve groundwater table, said a senior official from HMWSSB.

About five million litres per day (MLD) water is treated at the STP, Durgam Cheruvu and majority of the treated water is released back into the lake. Of the five MLD treated water, HMWSSB now plans to use nearly 40 Kilo Litres a Day (KLD) for supplying treated water to the Rainwater harvesting theme park and five other municipal parks in Jubilee Hills.

At present, these parks are relying on borewell water for gardening and other purposes. Once the treated water supply commences, these parks will do away with the use of borewell water. The borewell at the Rainwater Harvesting theme park has dried up and there is a need to ensure regular supply. Hence, the idea of supplying treated water from the STP in Durgam Cheruvu was being implemented, he said.

Of the Rs 80 lakh, about Rs 50 lakh would be used for laying pipelines, setting up pumps and other equipment. The rest of the budget would be used for road restoration, he added.

Not many takers for HMWSSB treated water

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) began sale of treated domestic waste water from STPs in March 2017 but there is not much demand for such water.HMWSSB offers treated domestic waste water from STPs at Rs 125 per 5,000 litres. The tanker and transportation charges have to be borne by consumers. Earlier, the Board was diverting all the treated water into the Musi River.

HMWSSB operates 18 sewerage treatment plants with a capacity of over 700 MLD, according to officials. A majority of the treated water, i.e, 592 MLD is treated at the four STPs at Amberpet, Nagole, Nallacheruvu, and Attapur. The rest of the water is from the STPs at Khairatabad, Begumpet, and Miralam Tank, and the other STPs.

As a pilot project, HMWSSB is offering 45 MLD treated water for sale but there is hardly any demand, except from a few organisations such as Shilparamam, HMDA and others.

The water undergoes three treatment stages and it was good for gardening, industrial use, wash of vehicles etc., yet not many organisations were using this water, said a senior official from HMWSSB.