The Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) has granted approval for the construction of the Manori Seawater Desalination Plant in Mumbai on November 2. Operated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), this project will address the issue of water shortages in the city.
Water scarcity in Mumbai is a continuous problem. One major reason for this is delayed or inadequate monsoons. The Manori desalination plant will offer a potential solution to this problem, as it will provide an additional source of fresh water for the city.
According to reports, one of the pressing concerns in this area is climate change. Diversifying water sources is important as Mumbai grapples with the impact of climate change. The BMC plans to either generate an equal amount of green energy for the project or use it to meet all energy requirements.
Furthermore, the cost of producing water from the desalination plant is only slightly higher than conventional methods when considering the life cycle cost analysis. This project is expected to put an end to the recurring water cuts in Mumbai.
The Manori Seawater Desalination Plant will be constructed on property leased from the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. BMC has requested the site from the Mumbai Suburbs collector. This location has been a subject of interest for several years, according reports. The BMC has allocated INR 200 crore in its budget for the project, covering an area of 12 hectares.
Aaditya Thackeray has also been a strong advocate of the desalination plant. Despite some of Thackeray's other beautification projects facing challenges within the alliance administration led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, this particular project is moving forward under the jurisdiction of the civic authority.
While the approval from MCZMA has come now, many feel it should have been granted earlier. A feasibility study was conducted by the local council last year, and in November 2022, a comprehensive project report was finalized. BMC officials claim that the Manori plant, with an initial capacity of 200 million litres per day (MLD), can be expanded to 400 MLD, thus making it a pivotal project for Mumbai's water supply.
Notably, the Manori desalination plant is replacing the Gargai dam project, which aimed to boost the city's daily water supply by 440 MLD. The decision to abandon the Gargai dam project was influenced by its environmental impact, as it would have necessitated the removal of five lakh trees.
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