Infrastructure Development Since 1981
Infrastructure Development Since 1981
Water flows in nature to be used by different ecosystems and then returns to nature in other forms and characteristics to be treated and filtered then enter the cycle again. However, water is becoming highly contaminated as in India we are not doing the exercise properly. The water that is being supplied by municipalities, 80 percent of that is coming out as used water which needed proper treatment and filtration before releasing into the ecosystem.
A report by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) suggests that the existing sewage treatment plants in India are able to treat about one-third of the total sewage generated per day. The country’s urban centres are generating 72,368 MLD (million litres per day) whereas the installed capacity of STPs is 31,841 MLD. Of this installed capacity, developed and operationalized capacity was 26,869 MLD and out of which only 20,235 MLD was the actual utilised capacity. Out of total 72,368 MLD sewage generated every day, only 20,235 MLD is treated which is just under 28 percent of total sewage being treated. India with an increasing population and growing demand for water is not utilising the valuable resource of wastewater to augment the water supply and cater to the need of industries and irrigation.
World over, many countries are using treated sewage to satisfy their water needs. Singapore is a classic example that has successfully adopted smart wastewater management system to meet 40 percent of their water demand which they have planned to increase to 50 percent by 2030. ‘NEWater’ is the brand name given to highly treated and reclaimed wastewater produced by Singapore's Public Utilities Board. The water is potable quality and can be added to drinking water supply reservoirs where it is withdrawn and treated again in conventional water treatment plants before being distributed to consumers. Netherlands provides customized treated water for specific requirements and preferences of each customer with an overall emphasis on tailoring water to the needs of the industries thus reducing their dependence on surface and ground water sources.
The large scale water stress and widely reported day zero in Cape Town; South Africa has expedited their action plan to reuse treated water. As per Green Drop Report, South Africa has 824 wastewater treatment systems across 152 municipalities which have a collective design capacity to receive about 6,500 million litres of wastewater a day. With concentrated efforts, it is targeting that 50 percent of the wastewater is treated for reuse so that 3,250 million litres of water will be made available to be returned for consumption.
In India, water reuse is still in its nascent stage with minimal reclaimed water. The reuse of treated sewage is an issue which hasn’t assumed much importance in the policy planning of successive governments. In order to meet the growing water demand, wastewater recycle and reuse is the most sustainable option. Tremendous potential exists for wastewater recycling and reuse mainly for non- potable applications.
Indian cities administration must locally plan for implementing pilot projects to be scale up for treated sewage reuse for horticulture, washing activities (road, vehicles and trains), fire-fighting, industrial cooling, toilet flushing and gardening and at large scale to provide it to farmers for agriculture purposes. The reuse of treated sewage can decrease the water demand from surface sources like rivers, ponds, lakes as well as groundwater sources.
As per the latest reports by Markets and Markets, the global wastewater treatment services market is projected to reach USD 71.6 billion by 2026 from the existing USD 53 billion at a CAGR of 6.2 percent during the projected period. The global market for water recycle and reuse technologies are estimated at USD 15.3 billion in the year 2020 and projected to reach USD 27.1 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 10 percent over the analysis period.
Another report is pegging the Indian water and wastewater treatment (WWT) technology market valued at USD 2.04 billion in 2020 with estimated growth rate of 8.55 percent CAGR during the forecast period of 2021-2026. The rapidly declining freshwater sources and growing wastewater complexities??? will drive the demand for advanced water and wastewater treatment technologies in India.? The factor that is supporting the demand of wastewater recycling and reuse is the growing economic activities and recovery in manufacturing sector in India. The strict guidelines by pollution control boards and municipal authorities through programs such as zero liquid discharge in the industries is driving penetration of advanced technologies in the country. The growth is also attributed to the increased significance of water reuse in the backdrop of emerging water stress and measures which are aimed at addressing the rising need for safe and clean water.
Wastewater is indeed a valuable resource that can be used to meet the increasing demands of water supply with benefits, both financial and ecological. Treating wastewater upto the potable standards is technically possible and several countries in the world are doing it to augment their drinking water supplies. The technologies and treatment systems required to reliably treat wastewater from domestic and industrial sources are well established and readily available. The public perception and inhibition is an impediment to adopt reclaimed water for potable purposes.
Another important challenge in implementing water reuse is the capital investment required to effectively treat wastewater to meet drinking water standards. Depending upon the quality of wastewater, several step treatment process are required that includes pre-treatment, rapid sand filtration, membrane ultra-filtration, reverse osmosis, and advanced oxidation. This multi-barrier treatment approach increases complexity and cost compared to the traditional treatment processes. However, treatment costs are offset by the fact that the source water is essentially free compared to other bulk water sourced from dams or groundwater as well as it will also help in reducing environmental impact of wastewater. India facing with severe water stress and accumulating municipal and industrial wastewater should start using reclaimed water for irrigation and industrial purposes. Irrigation being the largest freshwater users in the country, if we are able to reuse at least 15 percent of reclaimed water for agriculture and industrial purposes, we will be able to save billions of litres of fresh water, releasing the water stress and also helping water utilities to provide drinking water facilities to unserved areas.