Coimbatore Corporation to install Sewage Treatment Plants near four major water bodies

As a step towards stopping the discharge of untreated water into lakes and improving the condition of water bodies, the Coimbatore Corporation will soon install Sewage Treatment Plants close to four main water bodies

As a step towards stopping the discharge of untreated water into lakes and improving the condition of water bodies, the Coimbatore Corporation will soon install Sewage Treatment Plants close to four main water bodies within the civic body’s limits, according to Commissioner M. Prathap.

As per the initial environment examination report in April 2022 for ‘Tamil Nadu Urban Flagship Investment Project - Underground Sewerage System for Added Areas of Coimbatore Corporation’ in Vadavalli, Veerakeralam, Kavundampalayam and Thudiyalur: “In the four added areas covered in this present subproject, roadside drains are carrying both sullage and rainwater. About two third of the houses have septic tanks. The houses in the slum areas do not have latrines and depend on community toilets and open spaces. Drains carrying wastewater join water bodies (Krishnampathy, Narasampathy, Selvampathy, Kumarasamy, Selvachinthamani, Periakulam and finally leading to River Noyyal) around the city. Overflowing of drains during rain, water pooling in low-lying areas is not uncommon, creating unhealthy conditions.”

According to the Budget, the Sewage Treatment Plants will be set up in Ukkadam Big Tank aka Periyakulam, Valankulam between Trichy Road and Sangam Bypass Road, Selvachinthamani Tank in Selvapuram North and Krishnampathy lake near Seernaickenpalayam to treat the sewage that gets mixed in the waterways. Steps will be taken to flow purified water from the treatment plants in Periyakulam and Selvachintamani into the wetlands.

Under the Smart Cities Mission, the Corporation would set up a plant in Periyakulam with a capacity to treat four million tonnes a day (MLD). Further, under the mission, a three-MLD plant was to be set up at the Valankulam and a one-MLD plant at Selvachinthamani Tank, the Commissioner stated.

Apart from this, using grants from the Central Finance Commission, works were under way to install a two-MLD plant in Valankulam and a one-MLD plant in Krishnampathy Lake, he added.

As per the Budget, ₹62.17 crore has been allocated for renovating and improving Periyakulam, ₹67.86 crore for Valankulam, ₹19.36 crore for Krishnampathy tank and ₹31.25 crore for the Selvampathy and Kumarasamy tanks.