The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Sewage treatment `viable alternative' for housing projects

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 28, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sewage treatment `viable alternative' for housing projects

Staff Reporter

Wastewater from kitchens, toilets can be put to good use: experts

CHENNAI: Government agencies insist on sewage treatment plants for residential projects with more than 50 dwellings in areas where sewage network is not available. But lack of awareness of treatment technologies is hampering the adherence to the rule, participants at a workshop on wastewater treatment system held here on Monday felt.

Speakers at the workshop organised by FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries) Ladies Organisation outlined technologies that improved on outdated septic tanks. However they felt government needed to create more awareness on viable technologies.

K.O. Pravinjith, technology team leader of Foundation of Educational Innovation in Asia, an organisation that has been promoting a waste water reuse technology Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems, said it was no more than a myth that waste water from kitchens or even toilets cannot be put to good use. "Recycled waste water can help create gardens for landscaping and improving the overall appeal of residential colonies," he said.

The rulebooks already insist upon water recycling. An amendment to the Chennai City Corporation Building Rules, effected through a government order in 2003, makes it mandatory for all multi-storeyed apartments and public buildings to provide separate pipelines for collecting waste water from kitchens and toilets. Only wastewater from toilets can be connected to the street sewer.

A builder pointed that the cost of implementing waste water system was not what prevented most on implementing them. "What makes it difficult is the manner in which people view waste water recycling. That is the reason why many builders hesitate."

Key role

The chairperson of FLO Zubeida Asgar Ali Dhala and the workshop organiser Nabila Avais felt government agencies and other voluntary organisations must play the key role in creating awareness among the public on wastewater recycling.

Silt problem

Some participants discussed with Metrowater officials the issue of sludge removed from sewage system being allowed to dry on main roads creating problems for road users.

While Metrowater officials insisted that sludge needed to dry before being removed by vehicles, participants felt that it could not happen on arterial roads.

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