Noida starts laying pipelines for reusing STP treated water for irrigation

The Noida authority on Thursday said that it has started work on a pipeline laying project with an aim to use treated wastewater for irrigating green zones such as city parks, green belts along roads and greenery on central verges.

Currently, the authority uses groundwater for irrigation purposes in its green areas and that is a clear violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986.25.

With an aim to ensure that only the treated waste water is used for the irrigation purposes, the authority has planned two projects of laying the water pipeline to connect sewage treatment plants with green zones.

The first project involves laying pipelines to connect Sector 123 sewage treatment plant (STP), where the wastewater is treated, with sectors 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 79, to irrigate green zones in these areas, said officials.

The second project involves laying a pipeline to connect the Sector 168 STP with the under construction golf course in Sector 151A, besides sectors 150, 151, 152 and 153, among others, for irrigating green zones in these areas.

“So far, we have completed 10% of the pipeline laying work from Sector 123 STP to seven sectors and the remaining work will be completed in a year so that we can stop using groundwater, and instead only use waste water for irrigation of green areas. The work on the second project will start soon as we are currently finalising the estimates,” said RP Singh, general manager, water works department, Noida authority.

The Noida authority is spending ₹70 crore on laying the pipeline from Sector 123 STP to seven sectors. Another ₹80 crore will be spent on connecting Sector 168 STP with nearby green areas including sectors 151A, 151, 152 and 153, among others.

“Once the estimates are finalized for the second project, we will issue a tender probably by the end of September and work will start soon,” said Singh.

The Noida authority treats at least 260 million litres water per day (MLD) at its six sewage treatment plants and the treated water is currently dumped in drains that empty into rivers Yamuna and Hindon.

Taking suo motu cognizance of a Hindustan Times news report, published on June 11 this year, the National Green Tribunal issued notices to Noida authority, the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, and the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate asking them to file replies over the misuse of water resources in Noida.

This action had prodded authority into taking measures to stop the misuse of groundwater.

The NGT is likely to hear this matter next month again.

Amit Gupta, a Noida-based social activist, who filed complaints demanding a ban on misuse of groundwater, said, “The Noida authority has 260MLD treated wastewater and if this is reused for irrigation, it would help save precious groundwater. But the authority’s efforts to reuse waste water for irrigation is too slow. If it is serious about protecting the groundwater, then it must expedite work on projects to reuse wastewater.”