Chennai Metrowater will lay a pipeline to transmit brine from the desalination plant at Nemmeli to south Buckingham Canal after environment clearance is obtained. The salt content in enriched water let out from the desalination plant contains 65,000 ppm of total dissolved solids as against 36,000 ppm in raw seawater.
About 265 million litres a day (mld) of seawater will be drawn by the plant for treatment and 165 mld will be let out. Metrowater is also preparing detailed project reports for constructing localised sewage treatment plants along the canal.
Officials of the Public Works Department said steps were being taken to desilt and clean south Buckingham Canal under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Once the project is completed water quality in the canal will improve.
