Desalination plant planned near Gopalpur (Berhampur)

A desalination plant that will convert seawater into potable one is being planned near Gopalpur in Ganjam district. The Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) has decided to install a 5-million litre per day (mld) capacity plant to meet the industrial and potable drinking water requirements for its Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM) near Chhatrapur. The Rs 112.90-crore project is scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2019, the Union minister of state for personnel, public grievances, pensions and prime minister's office V Narayanasamy told Rajya Sabha member Renubala Pradhan in a reply recently.

"The Bhaba Atomic Research Center (BARC) will set up the hybrid seawater desalination plant for the IREL. It will comprise 4.5-mld seawater reserve osmosis (SWRO) and 0.5 mld multi-effect distillations (MED) system for producing water," the minister said. "The project is intended to meet the industrial and potable drinking water requirements of OSCOM," the minister said. The OSCOM is currently meeting its water requirement for industrial and drinking water purpose through the Rushikulya river water system at Madhapur, near Chhatrapur. The urban water supply department is currently supplying around 1.1 mld (0.4 mld for drinking water and 0.7 mld for industrial purpose) to the IREL unit, said executive engineer (Urban water supply),Berhampur P K Mohapatra. Pradhan urged the IREL authorities to enhance the capacity of the proposed desalination plant and supply potable drinking water to some more areas including Chhatrapur town and some portions of Berhampur under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities.

The Rushikulya river water system, which can yield around 20 mld water, is supplying to OSCOM, Berhampur University, Army Air Defence College and Berhampur town. Since water supply from all sources to Berhampur is not adequate, the town is reeling under acute shortage of drinking water, particularly during peak summer. "When the IREL authorities increase the capacity of its proposed desalination plant and supply potable water to the periphery areas of the OSCOM and Berhampur, the town will get more potable water and scarcity of drinking water will be solved partially," Pradhan said. Source: Times of India