Surat MC converts wastewater generated in city into financial resource

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- India
Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has converted the wastewater generated in the city into a resource.
By treating wastewater generated in the city, the municipal corporation has generated Rs 140 crore in revenue through sales to local industries.
This initiative has not only addressed water reuse but also created a significant source of income for the municipal body.
While speaking at the first National Level Conference of Urban Local Bodies of States and Union Territories in Gurugram district's Manesar on Thursday, Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal shared this remarkable success story.
She highlighted that Surat, globally known as the Diamond City, also hosts a large number of textile and solar panel manufacturing units, industries that require substantial water usage daily.
The wastewater generated in the city is collected through the sewerage system and directed to treatment plants. Three treatment plants, with a capacity of 115 megalitres per day, purify this water, which is then supplied to local industries. This initiative generates significant revenue of approximately Rs 140 crore.
According to an official statement, Agarwal stated that currently, only 33 per cent of the wastewater generated in the city is being treated.
However, the goal is to significantly increase this capacity in the coming years. The target is to treat 70 per cent of wastewater by 2030 and achieve 100 per cent treatment by 2035. This expansion is expected to generate revenue of Rs 450 crore.
She also mentioned that treated water is not only supplied to industries but is also used for construction purposes, with water being delivered to construction sites through tankers.
Agarwal stated that an integrated waste management system has been implemented in the city.
With just one click, residents can send construction waste to designated processing sites. Once an online request is made, the waste is collected directly from the location.
She also shared that SMC was honoured on the fifth National Water Day in recognition of its efforts. The corporation continues to undertake initiatives aimed at improving services and quality of life for its citizens, she added.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan were among others who addressed the gathering at the event.
Kalyan said that hosting the conference is a matter of great pride not only for the Haryana Assembly but for the entire state.
The state Assembly speaker said that this national conference will serve as a valuable platform to guide urban local bodies across the country by sharing best practices and successful development initiatives adopted by various states.
Kalyan said this two-day conference is dedicated to urban local bodies, Panchayati Raj institutions, women and youth.
He stated that the best practices and innovations that emerge through dialogue and discussion during the conference will be implemented by public representatives in their respective areas.
In his welcome address, Speaker Kalyan said that this conference has been organised with the objective that all legislative institutions including Parliament, legislative assemblies, urban local bodies, and panchayats work together to build a strong democracy.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)