Surat: The city civic body has earned crores of rupees by treating wastewater at its Sewage Treatment Plant. The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) earned Rs. 557 crores against an expenditure of Rs. 379 crores.

The city houses hundreds of textile mills in Pandesara, Sachin, and Palsana, which require crores of liters of water. To fulfill this requirement, the SMC treats sewage water in tertiary water treatment plants, converting it into industrial-grade water. Currently, three sewage treatment plants with a capacity of 115 MLD are being used to treat the water.

The SMC initiated this effort in 2014, and over the last 10 years, both income and water treatment have seen consistent growth.

Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal said, “After treating the sewage water, the SMC has reused and recycled around 350 MLD of water, using it for irrigation of plants in the BRTS corridor, plants on roads, and garden irrigation. Additionally, 150 MLD of water is sold to textile, power, and other industries, generating Rs. 140 crores in revenue. We aim to sell more water to industries over the next five years, which will likely double the income.” DeshGujarat