MARGAO: What a waste. 13 MLD of treated water from two Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) of Sirvodem, Navelim is being wasted by releasing in the open.
That is it because there are no takers for the treated water, despite Public Works Department (PWD) readiness to give it for free.
Herald has found that only 10,000 litres of treated water out of 13 MLD at two STPs, one the 20 MLD managed by the Goa Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation and the 6.7 MLD one managed by JICA are being utilised at the plants.
The treated water could be utilised for construction projects of the government itself, besides at the private level.
As informed by one of the senior Public Works Departments Officers, per day nearly 13 MLD treated water is being generated from both the plants. Nearly 10 to 11 MLD treated water is generated from 20 MLD STP and nearly 3 to 4 MLD in the 6.7 MLD plant.
It may be recalled that a large quantity of treated sewage water, besides the untreated raw sewage water, is being released into the open fields and nullahs in Margao. A large quantity of treated sewage water goes wasted, as there are no plans to utilise it for other purposes excluding drinking.
There are also reports that as per the latest report of the Central Pollution Control Board, the estimated sewage generated by the State is 176 million litres per day while only 66 MLD is being treated through the 11 sewage treatment plants in Goa. But the point is that the utilisation of treated water is much lesser, especially from the two treatment plants at Sirvodem, Navelim.
Speaking to Herald Senior PWD officer stated that this treated water from the two STPs at Sirvodem can be used for farming, gardening, and construction activities, but because of the lack of consciousness among people, it cannot be pushed forward.
“This treated sewage water can be collected by constructing a tank, and later it can be directly supplied for the construction activities”, he stated.
Margao MLA and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat is of the opinion that this treated sewage water needs to be utilised.
“Instead of releasing the treated water in the nullahs, we can make good use of the same for purposes like plantation, gardening, etc”, he stated.
Digambar said that he has called a meeting in this regard in the next few days, to discuss the issue, besides other problems pertaining to STPs at Sirvodem.
Meanwhile, Dr Ahish Kamat, a citizen of Margao, said that in Goa we are wasting valuable water resources which going ahead will cause a lot of heartburn. The Government should invest in a system wherein the treated water is supplied to the industrial area and make it mandatory for the use of that water for gardening (in municipal and industrial areas) to start with. Such water use will offset the use of pure groundwater for industrial purposes in major industrial areas like Verna and protect groundwater resources.
