BALLARI, Karnataka: A study conducted by researchers of the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) has identified the potential of utilising treated wastewater to address the water scarcity challenge in the urban areas of Ballari and Raichur. The urban water supply in these areas drops below the national water standards.
Ballari and Raichur regions have three thermal power plants with 1720 MW, 1600 MW, and 1700 MW capacity, and when the water shortage hits these regions, other than the industrial sector, the residential areas also suffer. The lack of sufficient water supply in the past has often led to the periodic shutdown of these power plants. To address this issue, the study underscores the importance of using treated wastewater in the operation of these power plants. The researchers backed their claim by citing the example of the Koradi Thermal Power Plant in Nagpur, which successfully operates on treated wastewater.
It is expected that by 2050, Ballari will be home to 9.2 lakh people who will need 124 million liters of water daily (MLD). This water demand is much larger than the municipal water supply capacity, which is 85 MLD. Raichur’s population will also increase to 3.67 lakh, and water demand will be 50 MLD while municipal capacity is only 39 MLD.
Researchers have proposed that urban local bodies should work with thermal power stations to build wastewater treatment plants. Once these treatment plants become operational, they could increase the per capita water supply by 30–40 liters per day.