The Nagpur city area is water-short now, and all water resources are stressed beyond their capacity. Anticipated population increases and future development will exert even greater stress upon remaining water supplies-widening the gap between supply and demend. The graphic depiction below dramatically illustrates the impending water crises in the region. New sources of water are needed to help close the gap.

With proper treatment and an adequate distribution system,reclaimed water can be used safely where it is most appropriate, freeing fresh water for the most critical human needs.

What is Potential of Recycled Water in Nagpur?

It has been shown that well-treated and disinfected recycled water can become a wholesome source of process water for industries in MIDC,MSPGCL power plant, Bulk non-potable application in various institutes in city viz. Railway, city & state transport, gardens, forest nusery, vehicle service centers and irrigation water for all crops including those eaten raw.

                                                     Recycled Water At STP (Design Capacity Vs Demand) By Yr.2005

Sewege Treatment Plant,NMC	Design Capacity STP (Mid)	Name of User	Demand (Mid)
Central Zone (Bhande Wadi) (Existing) (proposed)	100   80	Reuse in Nagpur City (Immediate) (Ultimate)	10  25
		Irrigation Project	70
North Zone (Proposed) (Pioli Nadi)	100	Mah.state Power Generation Co.(MSPGCL)	110
South Zone (Proposed) (Near Vill-Ghogali)	100	MIHAN (Cargo Hub)	40
Total Capacity (Mid)	380	Total Demand	245
	Balance (Mid)	135

NMC's consumer survey that has shown broad receptivity for large scale water reuse among major consumers.In Nagpur, the central Railway is recycling & using treated recycled water for washing of platforms, track aprons & bogies.

National Experience in Safe Use of Recycled Water

Recycled water is safely used in power plant in Delhi. Encouraged with experience of 310 MW Pragati Plant using reclaimed water since 2001 at New Delhi, Proposed power plant at Rithala is planed on reuse of water from Rithala STP. Irrigated agriculture along Musi River in Hyderabad is another example of reuse in india.

Global Experience in Safe Use of Recycled Water

Other countries in similar water shortage conditions have long adopted water recycling as a means of safely and reliably augmenting existing sources of  these critical resources. The United States,South Africa, Israel,Jordan, Tunisia,Kuwait,UAE,Singapore,Japan,Australia and many other countries have been reclaiming water-from municipal sewage-for the past ten or more years.

How Is Recycled Water Treated?

Wastewater from houses and business centers in Nagpur will be piped through sanitary sewers to wastewater treatment plants where it progresses through primary, secondary, and tertiary stages of ttreatment before it is disinfected and put into the distribution system for reuse.

Primary treatment is a gravity process that allows solid matter to either float to the top or settle to the bottom and is then removed as sludge.

Secondary treatment uses microbes to digest dissolved organic matter and small waste particles that are too light to settle out. As these microbes eat, grow and die, their bodies fall to the bottom, leaving water that is over 95 percent pure.

Tertiary treatment uses a multilayered filter composed of sand, coal, and stone, to remove remaining suspended particles.

Advance treatment such as Microfiltration,Reverse osmosis etc. may be added to improve bio-chemical parameters even further.

Disinfection involves use of chlorine, ozone or ultraviolet radiation, to destroy bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. At this stage, the water is over 99 percent pure and can be used for nearly all non-potable applications.

Uses of Recycled Water?

Depending on level of treatment, recycled water can be used for a large variety of purposes, including these:

  

Use of recycled water	Treatment Necessary	Precaution required
Industrial: Process water	Tertiary+ Disinfection	Quality control & monitoring
Power Plant: Cooling tower,Boiler water, Ash hanling	Tertiary,Tertiary+DM, Secondary	Quality control & monitoring,plumbing code,signage for non-potable application.
Institutes in city: Landscaping, Vehicle washing,	Teriary filteration+ Disinfection	Quality control & monitoring,plumbing code, signage for non-potable application.
Irrigation: 1) Irrigation of orchards, cotton, seed crops, trees for wood & pulp etc.	None or Primary	Control of public access, Protective clothing for workers etc.
2) Irrigation of peeled fruit, food crops, pastures	Secondary, or stabilized pond	Control of public access, Protective clothing for workers etc.
3) Vegetables & fruits eaten raw	Tertiary & disinfection	None, signage for non-potable application
Groundwater Recharge: Planned, or as a result of infiltration into an unconfined water table	Secondary, min.5km. distance to withdrawal	Strict regulation & permitting under skilled supervision.