The Goa government should explore desalination technology as an option to improve water supply in the State, Mahadayi Bachav Abhiyan (MBA) environmentalist and Goa University professor Nandakumar Kamat said on Saturday.
Mr. Kamat, who was on an expert committee set up by the government to study Mahadayi river water issue, made the recommendation in an e-mail to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
He said the State should establish high-volume affordable onshore or offshore coastal desalination plants, at least by 2020-21, one each in North and South Goa. Terming the current water projects unreliable, he said they would continue to face problems on the supply front.
Mr. Kamat said that in Chennai, desalinated water costs six paise a litre as against ₹15 for a litre of bottled water. “So why are we spending so much money on water storage, treatment, distribution and supply?” he asked.
