City’s first waste water plant on its way

Some nervous that high electricity costs may stymie operations.

LAHORE: Lahore’s first Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is set to be installed by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) in collaboration with the French government.

French engineers and consultants have finished their research and a feasibility report to install the plant at Mehmood Booti site is ready. Wasa has 650 kanals at Mehmood Booti and is negotiating with the Forest Department and private land owners to acquire more land.

The consultants will provide the technical facilities and coordination for the project.

The cost is estimated at 100 million euros and the French government has sanctioned a soft loan of 70 million euros at a 1.6 per cent interest rate. The Punjab government is providing the rest. The loan re-payment is scheduled in 40 installments over a period of 20 years.

As no local company can meet the requirements of the tender, the contract for installation will be granted through international tendering. The machinery required for the WWTP will also be imported through international tenders.

Wasa managing director Dr Javed Iqbal said the installation of the WWTP would be a step forward for the sanitation agency. He said the work would start next month and take at least three years.

Dr Iqbal said Wasa’s lack of trained staff to install the plant meant that French engineers would coordinate the project. “The French will also take care of the operation and maintenance of the plant for three years.” He said that foreign engineers would train the Wasa staff during their three year stay. Six other sites, Babu Sabu, Khokhar Road, Shahdara, Multan Road, Raiwand and south east of Ferozepur Road, in Lahore have been identified by Wasa for installation of similar plants.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is already conducting studies for the installation of another plant near Babu Sabu. Japanese engineers are conducting the surveys and Wasa is hoping that the JICA will also provide funds for the project. Wasa is negotiating with the JICA to sanction a loan for this project.

A Wasa official said that the plant is costly and once installed Wasa will have to set up a separate directorate to operate it. He said that millions of rupees will be required monthly for the maintenance of the plant. He added that if the plant can generate electricity from the waste water sludge then it would be good news otherwise the high cost of electricity might make the operation of the plant prohibitive.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th,  2011.