Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on February 14 has issued strict guidelines for the use of STP (sewage treatment plant) effluent water for non-domestic purpose for all kinds of residential, commercial and industrial developments in the city. BMC has clearly stated that the existing water connections will be reduced suitably to suffice only domestic needs in cases where STP effluent water is expected to meet non-domestic requirements, as stipulated in the building permissions issued by various planning authorities.
BMC’s guidelines are crucial as the city releases 2,600 MLD to 3,000 MLD of sewage into the sea and creeks. The guidelines were issued by the Hydraulic Engineer, AS Rathore.
With immediate effect, water connections for all new developments, wherever use of STP effluent water is stipulated for non-domestic purposes in building permissions issued by various planning authorities, will be granted for domestic requirements only.
While granting new connections or resizing connections, the domestic requirements of water are considered at 90 litre per day per person and 45 litre per day per person. Similarly, for granting new connections or resizing connections, domestic requirements are considered at 20 litre per day per person and 25 litre per day per person for commercial consumers. Water connection to properties where STPs are non-functional/functional will be redesigned and resized with the sanction of a competent authority to meet the domestic requirements.
According to BMC, in municipal limit resizing of water connections will be carried out at its cost. Further, while granting/processing applications for additional/enlargement of existing water connections use of STP effluent water for non domestic purposes will be taken into account. BMC has clarified that additional.enlargement of existing water connections will be discouraged as a rule with emphasis on system pressure and supply hours improvement.
Another Hydraulic Engineer SR Argade said the guidelines are issued for the promotion of treated waste water and bore water usages. ”Conservation of fresh water resources and optimal and judicious use of available fresh waster is the need of the hour. BMC has decided to join the national and global initiative and promote use of treated waste water, bore well water and rain water harvesting for secondary purposes in Mumbai,” he added.