The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched a Rs 660-million restoration initiative aimed at improving the ecological health of Powai Lake. The project focuses on diverting sewage inflow, establishing a modern sewage treatment plant (STP), and expanding the removal of water hyacinth, which has increasingly overwhelmed the lake’s surface in recent months. The civic body has set an 18-month deadline for completing the works.

According to officials, the rapid spread of hyacinth is directly linked to untreated sewage entering the lake, providing a nutrient-rich environment for the invasive plant to flourish. To address this issue, the BMC floated two major tenders in May — one to install a new sewer line and another to build an 8 million litres per day (MLD) STP. These measures are expected to help manage the estimated 18 MLD of sewage currently flowing into the waterbody.

Under the proposed plan, the new STP will be installed at the defunct Powai pumping station. It will treat 8 MLD of sewage, after which the treated water will be released back into the lake to improve its water quality. Another 8 MLD will be channelled through an existing pipeline to the Bhandup treatment facility. The remaining 2 MLD will be diverted via the Peru Baug pumping station to the 9 MLD Mithi River treatment plant, ensuring comprehensive handling of the sewage load.

A contractor will soon be appointed to manage construction of all associated infrastructure and oversee its upkeep for six years. Civic officials said these interventions are expected to significantly curb pollution levels and restore the lake’s ecological balance, paving the way for long-term rejuvenation.

News source: The Free Press Journal