Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has plans to treat waste water and release recycled water into the Sabarmati river to ensure that the river remains full the whole season, especially during the dry summer season.

It is believed that if this proposal gets a nod and goes as per plans, the city will not only be the first to initiate such an environment-friendly project but will make effective utilisation of its sewage waste. Currently, around 900 million litres of sewage water is generated daily. Of this, AMC plans to utilise only 150 mld (million litre per day) for Sabarmati. According to AMC’s calculations, a 10 km stretch of the river needs 11,790 mld of water to keep it brimming. Of this, 1 per cent water gets evaporated daily.

AMC will set up five sewage treatment plants and add tertiary treating facilities to one of its existing STPs in Pirana. According to sources, the entire project will cost Rs. 225 crore, out of which, the state government will fund 50 per cent, while the rest will be borne by AMC. It aims to complete the installation of STPs in Hansol (5 mld), Shahibaug (25 mld), Shahpur (30 mld), Chandrabhaga (near Dandi bridge) with 30 mld and Keshavnagar (20 mld) within the next 18 months. Similarly, it also plans to provide water to the riverfront gardens, which would be a step towards preserving groundwater. Currently, many gardens are watered using bore wells.