BMC treat waste water for gardening in Byculla zoo

In a bid to save potable water that can be used for drinking or storing purposes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to use treated waste water for gardening at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan in Byculla.

To enable this, BMC will set up an underground sewage treatment plant (STP) inside the zoo within the next one year. This STP will have the capacity to treat five lakh litres of sewage waste water daily. As per plan, the water will be drawn from adjoining drains and treated inside the zoo. The treated water will then be used for watering the plants.

“The STP is part of the zoo expansion project. It will be constructed in the Mafatlal Mill area, adjoining the present zoo premises,” said senior civic official.

As part of phase three of the zoo revamp project, the BMC recently acquired a seven-acre plot adjacent to the zoo which was leased out to Mafatlal Industries Limited for planned expansion. The project’s blueprint received the Central Zoo Authority’s nod in February this year.

Presently, the zoo draws four lakh litres of ground water daily from three wells in the zoo for gardening purpose.

Currently, there are seven STPs in the city that carry treatment of sewage water before releasing it into the sea.