The West Bengal Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department is preparing a concept plan within the month on how rainwater harvesting could lead to optimum utilization of water at commercial complexes in New Town, such as Eco Park, parks, and even in community toilets.
After the PHE department drafts the plan, the Hidco authorities will hold a discussion, involving engineers, planners and experts, to finalize the next course of action.
The entire New Town has a network of box drains to drain off rainwater from roads. This water then flows into a canal, such as the link canal or `pass khal’ in Action Area I. A drainage pumping station then pumps out the water from there to Bagjola canal, which runs through the township. The Hidco authorities are now exploring if instead of siphoning off the rainwater from the roads into Bagjola, the pumping station could drain it into the water treatment plant at Tarulia.
It is already planned that water from the Hooghly will be sent to the Tarulia plant through 6-ft pipes for treatment and then supplied across Salt Lake and New Town for consumption. The authorities hope the rainwater, drained from the New Town roads, could also be treated at the Tarulia plant and diverted back to the township to be used at the commercial complexes. The authorities are also exploring if the rainwater could be treated and purified at the 100-MGD plant so that it could be used as potable water.
A number of sewage treatment pumps at various points of New Town flush out waste water and after being treated, it is pumped into the nearby bheries and canals. The authorities are also examining the possibility of treating this water, running it through a second stage of purification, so that it can be used for gardening, washing and flushing at commercial and public establishments.
Hidco officials pointed out the model could also be used in other proposed smart cities, Salt Lake, Durgapur and Haldia.
