CSMCRI RO plants to treat brackish waters in Rajasthan

In a bid to provide potable drinking water in salinity-hit villages of Rajasthan, the Central Salt Marine and Chemical Research Institute has decided to set up 50 water Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in the desert state over the next two years. "In the proposed 50 water RO plants, CSMCRI will aim to set new targets of excellence, to minimize ground water intake. The plants will be designed for 80 per cent recovery, utilising indigenous developed membranes," Director CSMCRI Dr Pushpito Ghosh said. The community operated water RO demonstration plants are based on internationally patented technology of CSMCRI, for the treatment of saline brackish water, which is touted to have total dissolved solid (TDS) levels as high as 4,000. The plants have a capacity of 1,000 litres per hour. "The RO plants will be semi-automatic for easy operations and will have an online monitor for salinity. They will be fitted with energy meters and shall have pocket type fluoride meters for fluoride analysis in villages offline," he said. Grappling with the problem of providing safe drinking water in villages where fluoride, nitrate and salinity in underground water is a big issue, Rajasthan government has identified potential villages for installation of these RO plants. "We have identified the villages for installation of these RO plants in collaboration with Rajasthan's water department. They are expected to be installed by next year," Dr Amita Gill of Department of Science and Technology, Rajasthan said. CSMCRI has been working in collaboration with the state of Rajasthan since 2001, and has installed pilot RO plants in Sikar and Nagod districts of the state. The institute has also pioneered a camel driven water RO plant, for treating saline brackish water, in villages which there is no electricity. The animal powered water RO plants, which run on alternative energy, are touted to be suitable for villages of states like Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan, where animals like oxen and camels- are sturdy and can drive the high pressure water pumps of these plants, an institute official said.