ECONOMICS OF WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT, RECYCLING AND REUSE IN PUNE

摘要

Wastewater treatment is an essential process to handle the huge amount of sewage, prevent waterboay pollution, create additional availability of water and bring circularity in water sector. Freshwater is available to most of the sectors at highly subsidized prices, non-potable uses of which can be supplemented with recycled wastewater. Thus, treated wastewater must be recognised as an alternative water conserving technology. In case of Pune, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) operates 10 sewage treatment plants of various scales technologies. The financial data for these plants was collected by interviewing the operators and supervisors of the sewage treatment plants and PMC Officials. It poses an economic and civic opportunity for PMC. Treatment of wastewater will enhance the supply for non-potable use. The existing policies of wastewater management, recycling and reuse are evaluated for better implementation. The policies are recommended to generate demand by accounting factors like behavioural bias, absence of additional infrastructure need for quality checks and government mandates. The identification of right consumer is first step towards market creation, followed by right policy instruments to use recycled water and its implementation. A market for treated water will allow easy access to alternative water resource, better sanitation and reduce the environmental impact of day to day activities.