The Hindu, 22 June 2014
NEW DELHI: The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), a multi-disciplinary research institute, has developed an innovative eco-friendly wastewater treatment plant based on a technology that could improve efficiency as well as reduce costs significantly. The wastewater treatment plant, which utilises emergent wetland plants and micro-organisms present in wastewater, is operational on the IARI’s Delhi campus where three cells are treating 2.2 million litres of water per day sourced from the Krishn Kunj colony.
IARI scientists pointed out that while conventional wastewater treatment plants degrade only organic pollutants and do not reduce metal pollutants, the new technology will reduce metal pollutants present in waste water. “Metals in waste water and sludge, which currently do not get treated at wastewater plants, seep into natural ecosystems and contaminate ground water. In comparison, the new system reduces metal pollutants besides degrading organic and inorganic pollutants. Its energy requirement is 1 per cent of conventional wastewater treatment plants use as it does not require operating aerators 24X7, but relies on vegetation and plants to do this,” said Ravinder Kaur, project director, Water Technology Centre at the IARI. Read More....