29 January,2025 09:47 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
The proposed site of the Gargai dam in Palghar district, about 110 km away from Mumbai. Pic/Ranjeet Jadhav
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is contemplating abandoning the desalination project kicked off during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regime and focusing on the Gargai dam project to meet the city's water needs instead. The civic body cancelled the bidding process for the desalination project in September 2024 as only one company was participating in it.
A senior civic official said, "We have not taken a final decision about whether or not to scrap the desalination project yet."
According to reports, the desalination project was worth R3600 crore and was to be carried out at Manori. The BMC had invited tenders for the treatment of 200 million litres of water per day, which could be expanded to 400 million litres per day in the future. The project was planned in 2021 and the MVA government was ready to allot 12 hectares of land for it. The idea of adopting desalination came about in 2009 when the city faced a yearlong water cut.
The Gargai dam in Palghar district, 110 km away from Mumbai, is awaiting environmental approvals. Worth R5000 crore, the dam could supply 440 million litres of water daily to the city.
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The BMC is looking for land to purchase to compensate the state government for acquiring 659 hectares of forest land for the project. It has finalised 488 hectares of land at Chandrapur. Also, the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra has agreed to give 400 hectares of land near Wada in Palghar district for the project.
Vishakha Raut, a Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former mayor, said the topic of water should not be politicised. "In recent years, rainfall has been unpredictable so we need to explore alternative sources of water. If showers aren't sufficient in the future, such projects [desalination plant] can help us," she said.
"The BMC should think about desalination and other projects that can serve as alternative sources of water," she added.
Environmentalist Anand Pendharkar said, "Across the world, many countries are decommissioning dams to preserve nature, but we still are thinking only about building them. Dams and desalination projects aren't the only options. Why is the BMC not making rainwater harvesting mandatory? In Chennai, rainwater harvesting is mandatory even for old buildings. That water as well as treated sewage water can be used for non-potable use. There were ponds and rain wells in many old settlements of the city. That water can be used for not potable use," Pendharkar added.
The cost of desalinating a thousand litres of water is around R40 to R50. Currently, the BMC spends Rs 26 to Rs 30 to purify dam water. The city's daily water demand is 4200 million litres while it is currently supplied 3950 million litres per day. "For the desalination project, we need to put in place a new water network. For Gargai, we are using an old network with a connecting tunnel between Gargai and Modak Sagar," an official said.
"Also, we are working on using treated sewage water for industrial and non-potable use, which can reduce the load on potable water," he added.
440 million litres
Amount of water Gargai dam could provide daily
Rs 5000cr
Cost of Gargai dam project
