Power units top waste water generation

Thermal power plants have been significantly contributing to the rising volume of waste water that is generated by major industrial sources, adding to country's pollution load in a major way.

Out of the total volume 83,048 million litre per day (mld) of waste water generated ,around 90 per cent i.e. 79,975 mld, came from thermal power plants, said a paper published by the ministry of water resources, government of India (GOI) at the 'National conference on water quality issues- 2004' here.

The second largest contributing group was engineering industries led by electroplating units.

The other significant contributors of waste water were paper mills, steel plants, textile industries and sugar factories.

In terms of organic load, the major pollution contributors were distilleries and paper mills which generated concentrated waste water, the report pointed out.

Apart from industries, rapid urbanisation had led to higher waste water generation in concentrated pockets.

Estimates said only about 26 per cent of the total 22,900 mld of waste water generated was treated before disposal. The rest was disposed untreated.

Around 70 per cent of the population in the class I cities enjoyed sewerage facilities.

The mode of disposal in 118 cities were indirectly into rivers and lakes, while 63 discharged into to agricultural land, 41 directly into rivers and for 44 cities into both river and agricultural land.

Maharshtra contributed about 23 per cent of the waste water generated while the Ganga river basin contributed of around 31 per cent of the total volume, said the paper.