The Expert Appraisal Committee (CRZ) of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the 400 million litres per day (MLD) seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant proposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Manori village. However, the clearance comes with several key conditions aimed at minimising environmental impact.
Conditions Imposed by the Committee
The committee has directed the project proponent to identify reputed research institutions at the state and national levels, including institutes, universities, and colleges, to prepare a comprehensive long-term research action plan. This plan will assess the impact of brine discharge on marine ecology, including coastal flora and fauna, and focus on developing advanced desalination technologies and viable methods for brine reuse. Additionally, research will be conducted on designing incentive structures to conserve natural resources and mitigate waste for reducing pollution load in marine ecosystems and coastal areas for sustainable development. The action plan must be submitted to the project proponent, who has been directed to initially earmark Rs 10 crore for the proposed research initiatives.
Restrictions on Fishing Grounds
Among the conditions attached to the clearance is a restriction on activities in Manori Creek, a key fishing ground for local fishermen. The committee noted that this is Mumbai and Maharashtra's first large-scale desalination project for potable water supply. Its success could provide a viable alternative source of drinking water for the city and may lead to the establishment of more such desalination plants in the future, which would ultimately result in the discharge of significant volumes of brine into the sea. Therefore, the committee underscored the need to improve brine quality and promote its reuse to minimise adverse impacts on marine life and ecosystems. Additionally, desalination methods should be established as environmentally sound, economically feasible, and sustainable sources of drinking water supply.
Environmental Precautions
The committee has also advised the proponent to take all necessary precautions during operations to ensure that tidal flows and nearby mangrove ecosystems remain unaffected. According to the proponent, both intake and outfall pipelines will be laid using tunnelling methods to minimise seabed disturbance and reduce environmental impact. Measures will also be explored to lower energy consumption and carbon footprint, including increasing the share of renewable energy to at least 10% and installing energy recovery systems.
Project Details
The BMC awarded the project contract to GVPR Engineers in December. In the first phase, a 200 MLD plant will be developed. "We have managed to obtain the required permissions in record time, and the conditions imposed by the committee are welcome, as the research carried out for this project would help in implementing other desalination projects," said a senior civic official.
