The commissioning of two more desalination plants to cater to the city’s burgeoning water demands has suffered yet another delay with the projects not getting coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance from the Centre.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has deferred clearance for the projects and sought more information.
Chennai Metrowater has a 100 mld desalination plant at Nemmeli on the East Coast Road. It proposes to construct another desalination plant with a capacity to treat 150 mld on the same site. One more plant with a capacity of treating 400 mld of seawater has been planned on a 50-acre site in Perur, barely 600 m from the Nemmeli plant.
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Chennai Metrowater recently called for consultants for project management and supervision of the proposed plant in Nemmeli. At the same time, the EAC has raised questions about coastal erosion close to the existing plant at Nemmeli and sought another study to assess the impact of changes to the shoreline.
It has also asked for fresh recommendations from the Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority. Pointing out that the the proposed plant in Perur will be set up at a distance of less than one km from Nemmeli, the EAC has also enquired about the possibility of the constructing a large plant with a capacity of 600 mld instead of two facilities in such proximity
Sources in Chennai Metrowater said the water agency was compiling details, including the financial and environmental implications of the project. The coastal erosion study was being carried out and the water agency expected to get CRZ clearance by May for the project, they said. Metrowater was also in the process of finalising tenders for building and designing the plant.
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On the feasibility of building a desalination plant of 600 mld instead of two facilities, Metrowater sources said that it could be difficult to arrange funding for such a huge plant.
Financially viable?
Water experts also are of the opinion that plants with a large capacity would incur huge investment and might not be financially viable. Moreover, it could also lead to technical issues such as sourcing higher capacities and choosing the right material.
At present, the desalination plants in Minjur and Nemmeli with a capacity of 100 mld each contribute to 16% of the water demand of the city. While the new plant in Nemmeli is set to come up with the assistance of KfW, the German funding agency, the State government has sought funding under Japan International Cooperation Agency for the plant in Perur.