The third desalination plant with a capacity to treat 150 million litres of seawater a day on East Coast Road at Nemmeli is likely to be inaugurated after Pongal.
Officials of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) or Metrowater said the plant was being run on a trial basis and about 100 mld of water was being treated as of now. K.N. Nehru, Minister for Municipal Administration, who reviewed the work, which is in its final stages, on Saturday, said the ₹1,1516-crore project would be inaugurated by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin later this month, likely after Pongal. Water is also being tested for quality.
He noted that most of the work with respect to 23 components, including pipelines to draw water and convey brine into the sea, a clarified water tank, and a seawater intake sump, are nearing completion. Work to lay 48.10-km of pipeline and a water distribution station at Sholinganallur have been completed. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has provided its ‘consent to operate’ for the plant, a press release said.
Water from the desalination plant would be supplied to nearly 9 lakh residents in south Chennai and suburban areas, including Medavakkam, Velachery, Sholinganallur, and Keelkattalai, apart from the IT corridor. Officials from Metrowater were present during the inspection.
