The Tiruchi Corporation has taken steps to commission the city’s first decentralised onsite sewage treatment plant (STP) near the Yatri Nivas in Srirangam.
The civic body launched the work on the STP in February 2023. Taken up at an estimate of ₹1.33 crore, the plant has a capacity to treat about two million litres of wastewater a day.
Although the project was supposed to be commissioned last year, the delay has been attributed to slow progress in installing the collection and flocculation tanks to remove the solids from the wastewater.
A trial run was conducted last month. It was found that the pH level of the treated water was around 7, which is neutral. “Measures are under way to commission the plant soon. New pipelines to discharge the treated water into the Kollidam will be installed,” said a senior Corporation official.
According to officials, the process will remove contaminants from the water discharged by houses and commercial establishments and improve the quality of recycled water, which will be discharged into the Kollidam as per standards laid down by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
The onsite STP was designed with the capacity to manage the surge in wastewater generation for the next two decades. Apart from preventing pollution of the groundwater, it was also expected to safeguard the livelihood of washermen who depend on the river.
