Mumbai: Manori desalination plant targets December 2029 completion, BMC says

The Manori desalination plant could benefit those opposing it the mostrdquo said Additional Municipal Commissioner Projects Abhijit Bangar on Thursday while sharing the projectrsquos latest statusThe BMC has begun the project work as it received an advance possession of the upcoming plant site from the collector of Mumbai Suburban district The lsquofinal handover and area correction processrsquo is still ongoing with the BMC coordinating with the revenue department and the collectorDuring the briefing Bangar said the projectrsquos water supply could serve the Gorai area where residents face a constant water shortage ldquoThe current water supply pipeline to Gorai is very long leading to dip in supply and pressure at the ends many resorts etc also steal water before it reaches residentsrdquo explained elected Public Representative from Gorai Shivanand ShettyAbhijit Bangar additional municipal commissioner projectsManori and Gorai residents mdash mainly farmers and fishermen mdash have expressed their opposition to the project and the collector transferring the land to the BMC allegedly without consulting localsThe briefing by the BMC comes three days before various fishermen community groups from Palghar to Mumbai are scheduled to protest against the project on Monday Fishing community leaders told midday earlier in the week that as part of the protest lsquoManoriGorairsquo will be lsquobandhrsquo and around 3000 community members are expected to take part in a morcha at the Mumbai Suburban collectorrsquos Bandra officeKey concerns of those who stand against the project include negative impact on marine life fisheryrelated losses and loss of lsquograzing landsrsquo for farmersBangar claimed that the project abides by the most stringent international norms like the United Statesrsquo Environmental Protection Agency standards and no such environmental issue would arise ldquoThe same desalination plants have been adopted globally including in Singapore and the UAE and they continue functioning without any negative environmental impactrdquo he saidResponding to middayrsquos query about whether the output of the concentrated salt brine 242km away from Mumbais shallow coast was deep enough for appropriate and safe dilution Bangar said ldquoWe have done all the scientific calculations including MIKE 21 mathematical modelling and concluded that this is far enough and safeAsked about independent expertsrsquo concerns regarding environmental impact monitoring Bangar further added ldquoLongterm impact monitoring is part of the projectrdquopopcorn number3000 descNo of those expected to participate in morcha on Monday classDefaultCompletion datesGargai dam May 2029designbuildManori desalination plant 200 MLD capacity December 2029Manori desalination plant Expanded to 400 MLD Mid2030 to December 2030Versova desalination plant December 2030Project costs simplifiedGargai dam Over Rs 5000 crore including construction and allied works operations and maintanence mdash Rs 34 per 1000 litres divided over project life of 20 yearsManori desalination plant Rs 9591 crore including design build operations and maintenance and power consumption mdash Rs 45 per 1000 litres divided over the project life of 20 years Rs 45 at 400 MLD capacity Rs 49 at the initial 200 MLD capacityManori desalination plants features at a glanceSeawater reverse osmosis SWRO mdash pressure and membranes no boilingCapacity 200 MLD expandable to 400 MLDBMC says it has ensured that the project has no direct impact on sensitive marine ecosystemsPipe jacking tunnelling to avoid ldquodisturbing seabed surfacerdquoSlow velocity and multistage screening during intake to avoid loss to marine lifeMultiport diffusers to dissipate concentrate plume rapidlyNearambient salinity Salinity unchanged outside the ldquoZone of initial DilutionrdquoTreated water output At par with the Bhandup water treatment plantWater supply boostBangar said that the cityrsquos current daily water supply is 4100 million litres per day MLD this should surge to 5140 MLD by December 2030 The 1040 MLD boost will be because of three upcoming projects mdash the Manori desalination plant 400 MLD Gargai dam 440 MLD and Versova desalination plant 200 MLD