The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated the process of developing Mumbai’s first desalination plant, which would transform sea water into drinkable water. Reportedly, consultants will be appointed for vetting of designs for the 200 mld desalination plant. The construction is expected to in 2022, and the facility likely to be operational by 2025. It is estimated to entail an investment of Rs 180 billion. The desalination plant was first proposed in 2007 in a bid to provide an alternate water source. Owing to the insufficient rainfall in the catchment areas of the dams that supply water to Mumbai In October 2020, The BMC sought to revive a decade-old plan to build the desalination plant in the city, citing a rising need for an alternate drinkable water source due to changing rainfall patterns. At present, BMC intends to issue tenders for the construction of the desalination plant by June 2022. It entails an investment of Rs 16 billion under the Swiss challenge method. It will be developed on 25-30 acres of land. Meanwhile, the BMC has maintained that it is simultaneously also working on the proposed Gargai and Pinjal dam in Palghar district, which will supply around 1,200 million litres of water a day (MLD) to the city.
