Due to poor sewage treatment infrastructure, the capital city Delhi is experiencing an environmental problem. The wastewater management system fails to satisfy the required standards even after having multiple Sewage Treatment Plants. At least 22 of the 35 sewage treatment plants are poorly working, causing an impact on the Yamuna River and other bodies of water which might result a serious threat to the environment, human health, and aquatic life. The situation is concerning and immediate action is required to solve it.

According to a data given by Hindustan times, Delhi Pollution Control committee gathers water samples monthly from the inlet and outlet of STPs in Delhi. According to terms of DPCC, the biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended Solids (TSS) and total nitrogen in treated waste water should be less or be 10 milligrams per litre. And from the data of May, around 62 percent of Delhi’s treatment plants did not meet the criteria. In fact, one of the largest STPs on Delhi, the old 40 MGD Nilothi STP did not meet the standard while 15 MGD Rohini STP failed to meet five out of seven criteria. Delhi generates 792MGD of sewage every day, The 35 STPs which are spread over different locations can treat up to 632 MGD of sewage. And the actual sewage that being treated each is just 547 MGD, hence showing the widened gap.

What are the reasons of failure?

• The Aging Infrastructure – This is one of the main reason. As many of these plants are old and outdated, these plants are unable to handle the increased sewage created by its growing population.
• Functional flaws – The lack of maintenance of existing STPs lead to frequent breakdowns and poor performances. Moreover issues like power outages, equipment failures and inadequate staffing are common that results in incomplete treatment processes.
• Lack of monitoring and accountability – The lack of regular checking and responsibility leads to ongoing failure because there are no strict fines or corrective actions taken to improve these treatment plants.
• Overcapacity and underutilization - Although some STPs are overloaded and operate over their capacity, others are underutilised due to poor sewage network connectivity. This imbalance overloads certain plants, reducing their ability to clean wastewater properly.

What are impacts of untreated sewage treatment plants?

• The concerning impact of this negligence is a threat to health of public. If the sewage water is Untreated or partially treated, it will contain harmful organisms like bacteria, viruses and parasites that leads to waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid and dysentery. These diseases can be common to the communities that use this contaminated water for drinking, cooking and bathing.
• This carelessness towards sewage treatment plant can lead to Degradation of environment. The discharge of untreated sewage into the Yamuna River and other waterbodies results in the reduction of oxygen available for aquatic life.
• The economic impact of untreated STPs is huge as the harmful effects of using dirty water can raise healthcare expenses for individuals and the government, diverting resources which could have been used for other public services.

What are the solutions to this problem?

• There is a need of Upgradation in infrastructure. The use of advanced Technology like membrane bioreactors and sequencing batch reactors can help in effective removal of pollutants and impurities and will be more effective to handle a larger volume of sewage with higher contamination levels.
• Enhancing the sewage network, meaning Improving Connectivity and Capacity Utilization can prevent plants from being overloaded while others remaining underutilized. In simple words this will help to distribute the load evenly.
• Using Smart technologies like Internet of things (IoT) sensors and automated monitoring systems, can give immediate information about STP performance. This information can be then used to make quick changes and help in matching the criteria.
• Proper Training of workers managing STPs is important. Skilled operators can operate facilities more efficiently and quickly solve any concerns that develop.

Conclusion

The failure of Delhi’s Sewage treatment plant to meet standards is an alarming issue now that needs an immediate attention. The reason are different but the solutions are clear. It is important to implement effective sewage treatment solutions that not only protects Yamuna River but the surrounding ecosystem and also enhances the overall quality of life in Delhi. Sewage management is a collective responsibility that requires corporation from government to public to ensure cleaner and healthier lifestyle.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/22-out-of-35-delhi-sewage-treatment-plants-do-not-meet-standards-101686508599631.html