In a significant move towards sustainable water management, Southern Railway in Chennai is preparing to replace freshwater with treated and recycled sewage water for its daily operational needs. This initiative is set to conserve millions of litres of precious freshwater every day.
From Sewage to Sustainability: The New Water Source
The railway will source up to 6 million litres per day (MLD) of treated water from the Langs Garden modular sewage treatment plant. This water, purified through the reverse osmosis (RO) process, will be used for non-potable purposes like washing coaches and maintaining tracks.
Chennai Metro Water Board, known as Metrowater, has already completed a crucial step by laying a pipeline from the treatment plant to the Egmore railway yard. T G Vinay, the Managing Director of Chennai Metro Water Board, confirmed that a work order has been issued for Southern Railway to lay the internal pipeline required to draw the supply.
"As Southern Railway requires 5MLD to 6MLD of water from the plant for coach washing, track maintenance, and other non-potable purposes, we have issued a work order to lay the internal pipeline for water supply to be taken up by the railways," Vinay stated.
Expanding the Reach of Recycled Water
The project at Langs Garden is just one part of a broader push to maximize the use of treated wastewater in Chennai. Metrowater is also working to establish filling points at the same plant to supply water to the Greater Chennai Corporation. This water would be used for civic duties like washing streets and maintaining gardens in parks and road medians. However, the civic body is yet to specify its exact water requirements from this source.
Furthermore, Chennai Metro Rail Ltd (CMRL) is in discussions with Metrowater to potentially source treated water from the Langs Garden facility, though these talks are still ongoing.
Boosting Capacity for Broader Supply
The city's larger Tertiary Treatment Reverse Osmosis (TTRO) plants at Koyambedu and Kodungaiyur, each with a capacity of 45 MLD, are poised to play a bigger role. Metrowater plans to upgrade the Kodungaiyur TTRO plant at an estimated cost of 2 crore rupees to enable it to operate at its full 45 MLD capacity.
This upgrade will help meet the growing demand from industries in north Chennai. Vinay highlighted that the water from these advanced plants is of such high quality that it can even be used as potable water. "Once the upgrade is completed, there is scope to expand supply for other purposes, including to the SIPCOT complex," he added.
This multi-pronged approach by Southern Railway, Metrowater, and other civic agencies marks a critical shift in urban resource management for Chennai, turning waste into a valuable asset and setting a precedent for water-stressed cities across India.
