As we all know almost 70% of the earth is covered by water, but only 1% of this water is pure. Despite having only 1% of pure water, we are contaminating the sources of this gift. The crisis of water is increasing year by year. Therefore, people are predicting that now the third world war will be for water. The countries having huge amount of water are going to be targeted in this expected war by the super power countries in the world. Do you think that we would really have a new world war because of water? How could we prevent this war? Can we find new sources for water, or we have nothing to do in such a situation? To prevent this situation of world war it is necessary to recharge ground water resources as well as treatment of waste water to be used not for drinking purposes but for other uses like irrigation, industries, energy production, etc. We are working hard to make India a urban centric society, but are we having capacity to manage the urban systemic requirements?

• In India 38000 million liter per day sewage generated but out of this treatment capacity exists for only about 12000 million liter per day.
• Operation and maintenance of existing plants and sewage pumping stations is not satisfactory, as nearly 39% plants are not conforming to the general standards prescribed under the Environmental (Protection) Rules for discharge into streams as per the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) survey report. In a number of cities, the existing treatment capacity remains underutilized while a lot of sewage is discharged without treatment in the same city.
• There are 35 metropolitan cities (with more than 10 Lac Population) generates 15,644 Millions Liter Per Day (MLD) of sewage. The treatment capacity exists for 8,040 MLD i.e. 51% is being created. In Madhya Pradesh Indore generates 204 MLD sewage, Bhopal generates 334.75 MLD, whereas Jabalpur contributes 143.34 MLD, but as far as treatment of sewage is concerned Indore treats 78 MLD (38%) and Bhopal treats 22 MLD (6%) of total sewage generation while Jabalpur did not have any facility of water treatment.
• In India, 498 class I cities (cities having population more then 1 lac) generates 35558.12 MLD, which is 93% of total wastewater produced. All these cities having capacity to treat only 11553.68 MLD, which is 32% of the sewage generated. In Madhya Pradesh, class-I cities generates 1248.72 MLD sewage but it has a capacity to treat 186.1 MLD i.e., 14.90% sewage only.
• 410 class II towns in India generate 2696.20 MLD sewage and having capacity to treat just 233.7 MLD sewage i.e., less then 10%. 23 class-II towns in Madhya Pradesh generates 130.9 MLD sewage but treats only 9 MLD, i.e., of 6.88% only.
• Cities around Ganga basin are generating 2637.7 MLD sewage but are in a position to treat 1174.4 MLD i.e., 44.2%. The remaining sewage goes off in Ganga river without treatment, that pollutes the Ganga.
• On the same lines 113 cities in Ganga basin (disposal in tributaries- rivers linked to ganga basin, like Khan, Chambal, Betwa, Sindh, Son, Tons, Shipra, Banas, Kosi, Kali, Haldi, Rapti etc.) release 4171.26 MLD sewage without treatment. This is more then 535 of total sewage produced in these belts.
  On one hand, per capita water supply in India is 188.73 liter per day; whereas production of sewage is 137.82 liter per person per day demonstrate the seriousness of the problem.
• To resolve this problem and to improve the water quality of rivers and lakes:

There is an urgent need to increase sewage treatment capacity and its optimum utilization

• Municipal Authorities should realize the problem of pollution of water bodies and pay attention to their liability to set up sewage treatment plants in cities and towns to prevent this pollution. This activity requires to be recognized as one of the most important indicators of overall development of the state.
• Considering the widening gap between sewage generation and treatment capacity, it is required to set up a very thoughtful action plan to fill this. Large cities like, Indore, Jabalpur and Bhopal, where pollution problem is more severe, will be required to be taken up on priority basis in first phase.
• Operation and maintenance of existing plants and sewage pumping stations is also a much neglected field, as nearly most of the treatment plants are not conforming to the general standards prescribed under the Environmental (Protection) Rules for discharge into streams. Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) are usually run by personnel that do not have adequate knowledge of running the STPs and know only operation of pumps and motors. The operational parameters are also not regularly analyzed hence the day-to-day variation in performance is not evaluated at most of the STPs. Thus, skilled persons having adequate knowledge should operate and manage the STPs. An expert should visit these STPs at least once a month and counsel for improvement of its performance. In a number of cities, the existing treatment capacity remains underutilized while a lot of sewage is discharged without treatment in the same city. Auxiliary power back-up facility is required at all the intermediate (IPS) & main pumping stations (MPS) of all the STPs.
• Emphasis should be given on priority to development of 100% treatment capacity up-to secondary level of treatment and diversion of treated sewage for its utilization in irrigation of crops not eaten raw. Improvement in bacterial quality of remaining sewage to be used for irrigation of sports fields and public parks or that has to be discharge into water bodies due to unavoidable circumstances is the next area of concern.
• Rivers, which are used as a source of drinking water are receiving most of the pollution. Hence an action plan for arrest of pollution of rivers needs to be prepared and implemented.
• Groundwater recharging may be tried with treated wastewater to replenish the groundwater.
• Reuse of treated municipal wastewater should be encouraged in industries.
• Use of treated Municipal wastewater for irrigation and fodder cultivation should be encouraged by local authorities. The revenue thus obtained will be used to supplement the sewage treatment costs.

Status Report of Central Pollution Control Board, Series: CUPS/70/2009-10