Metro Water scouts for companies to set up, run desalination plants

According to a Metro Water official, the water manager has proposed to set up desalination plants at Kasimedu, Triplicane and Tiruvanmiyur, each with a capacity of 10 million litres per day (MLD). The water produced at the mini-desalination plants would be supplied to local residents.

Recently, a Belgium-based firm visited the Metro Water headquarters and explained their technology. “The firm proposed off-shore desalination plants, which would be set up at a distance of one kilometre from shore. The highlight of their proposal is that the power for the operation would be produced by windmills, which would also be built near the sea,” the official added.

However, as the firm has quoted Rs 200 per kilolitre, the Metro Water officials are reluctant – this is nearly four times the money they are spending now for desalinated water.

“We are spending Rs 55 per kilolitre now. Even though the concept presented by the Belgian firm is ecologically beneficial, it is economically unviable. So, we have asked them to rework the charges, but they are yet to revert. Apart from this, we are also in talks with other companies,” he said.

Metro Water had already floated tenders to study pre-feasibility studies at Kasimedu, Triplicane and Tiruvanmiyur.