Gurugram development body wants use of more recycled water at building sites

GURUGRAM: The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has decided to push developers to increase the use of recycled wastewater at construction sites in the city.

At present, less than 4% of the recycled wastewater gets used in construction sites, which means the industry takes up a significant share of freshwater that is already scarce. Five sewage treatment plants (STPs) generate 223 MLD (megaliters per day) recycled water in the city. Out of this, only 103 MLD gets used in horticulture, irrigation, the textile industry and construction, according to GMDA officials. Meanwhile, only 8 MLD recyced water gets used in construction despite an over 1,000, kiloliters of water per day.

Developers and builders can get water from the STPsbut instead are extracting groundwater through tubewells, according to a GMDA official. “We have an online payment system so that people can come, pay and take water from the hydrants set up at the STPs. Moreover, people do not even need to go to the STPs because pipelines are there, and we can set up hydrants wherever required,” said a senior GMDA official who did not want to be named. “However, instead of using this available water, developers and builders are digging the ground and extracting water from tubewells. So, there is a daily wastage of fresh water.” The issue, the official said, was taken up earlier this month in a meeting chaired by DS Dhesi, chief principal secretary.

At the meeting, participants suggested that using recycled wastewater in construction could be part of the conditions that a builder had to fulfil to obtain the occupancy certificate (OC). “They could be made to produce documentation showing how much water they used in construction and how much of that was recycled wastewater taken from GMDA STPs. We could verify this, and the OC could be issued accordingly,” said the GMDA fficial.

The official also said the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) or the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) could enforce compliance.

“We are trying to impress upon both builders and industrialists that they should use sewage water that is treated and available, instead of freshwater. We are recycling water at such an enormous cost, but that is not getting used,” said GMDA CEO Sudhir Rajpal.