Pune: Efforts to curb pollution in Pune’s Mula-Mutha River are gaining momentum, with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded sewage treatment project set to launch five Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) by July.
However, before these plants become operational, the municipal corporation will conduct water quality tests at 21 locations where untreated wastewater is currently being discharged into the river. These tests will help authorities monitor whether the STPs effectively improve water quality.
A total of 11 STPs are being constructed under the JICA project to treat the city’s wastewater before it enters the river. Of these, five plants are in the final phase of construction and are expected to start functioning in July. Before the STPs begin operations, the municipal corporation has identified 21 points where untreated sewage enters the river. Water samples from these locations will be collected every 15 days and analyzed.
Even after the STPs are launched, water quality monitoring will continue through periodic sample collection, ensuring that the new treatment facilities have a tangible impact on reducing pollution. Additional Commissioner Prithviraj B.P. stated that this process would help evaluate whether the river's water quality improves post-treatment.
Pune city consumes approximately 1,750 million liters per day (MLD) of water. Out of this, nearly 1,400 MLD turns into sewage. To manage this, the municipal corporation has been setting up nine STPs across different parts of the city. However, these STPs will collectively treat only 370 MLD of wastewater, while the remaining untreated sewage continues to flow directly into the river, exacerbating pollution levels.
To expedite the JICA project, the central government has allocated ₹100 crore, which the state government recently transferred to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). This financial boost is expected to speed up the construction and implementation of STPs, playing a crucial role in addressing Pune’s river pollution crisis.