STP IN ELAMKULAM : WORK WILL BE ENABLED THIS MONTH
STP IN ELAMKULAM : WORK WILL BE ENABLED THIS MONTH
Kochi: 12 May 2022 - Elamkulam Water Authority's new wastewater treatment plant (Swiss Treatment Plant STP) will be operating at the end of this month. Prior to this, the trial run will start on the 15th of this month. The first step was to fill the tanks. The plant has a refining capacity of 50 lakhs of liters per day. The new plant at Elamkulam was constructed at a cost of `14.45 crores as a part of the Amrit project. The contracted company, Mary Mata Infrastructure Limited, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the plant for 5 years. At present, the plant has a capacity of 45 lakhs of liters and is over 50 years old. The old plant will be shut down as soon as the new plant is ready. The tanks that are part of the project are now being filled with water and being checked for the flow of water. After this, the process of growing bacteria in the tanks will start, and this will be completed in 10-15 days. The Assistant Engineer of the drainage department at Elamkulam water authority said that the new plant is expected to be commissioned by May 31. Sewage effluent from Elamkulam, Gandhinagar, Ernakulam, South, Central, and North 5 Divisions of the Corporation will be piped here. These are the divisions that currently have the sanitary sewer pipeline network. Though there were plans to construct modern STPs at various places within the corporation itself, they did not materialise due to public outcry.
MBBR Technology
The new plant is equipped with technology called the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR). The process involves the decomposition of wastewater using bacteria instead of chemicals. This is a more effective, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method. The water discharged after treatment has a certain standard prescribed by the National Green Tribunal. This potable water can be used for watering gardens and constructing buildings. The remaining waste can be dried and used as manure.
INPUTS BY – ANJANA Y U ON 23 - June 2022
