Grey water recycling must for all new buildings in Mumbai

After rain water harvesting, it is mandatory for all new buildings to recycle grey water and use it for non- potable purposes.

The civic body has passed the by-laws and included it in the development control (DC) rule to make it compulsory for all new residential and commercial building.

Now the civic body is planning to not issue occupation certificate without the grey water recycling plan for up-coming buildings.

“The city’s population is increasing at the rate of 2.5 % every year but there is not enough water to meet the needs of the metropolis. Gargai and Pinjal, two new sources that have been identified to augment the water supply, will be able to supply additional 1,320 million litres per day which will not be enough,” said senior official from the hydraulic department.

The Brihanmumbai municipal corporation (BMC) had made rain water harvesting compulsory for all the new buildings, if the building would not planned for rain water harvesting the BMC will not issue occupation certificate to such building. On the same way the BMC is included the grey water recycling in the DC rule.

Manmohan Chonkar, Shiv Sena corporator had raised the issue and demanded to lay separate pipelines for grey water for non-potable use in the building after recycling.

“As BMC will stop giving occupation certificates to the buildings, the builders will follow the rule strictly. It will reduce the stress of the regular water supply,” he added.

It will be applicable to all building projects where the plot size is 20,000 sq feet and above.

“Recycling of water is also a condition under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to get funds for projects,” said DL Shinde, Ex- civic engineer and officer on special duty of BMC.