Second Desalination Plant in Chennai at 50% Capacity

Chennai’s second desalination plant to produce drinking water from sea water was formally inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, according to an official press release. The plant at Nemmeli, about 50 km south of Chennai on the East Coast Road, will produce about 100 million liters of freshwater daily.

The plant has been set up by the Chennai-based VA Tech Wabag as part of a Rs 871.24-crore contract, for the water utility, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (Metrowater). Wabag has also bagged the operation and maintenance contract.

Water from this facility will be supplied to residents of the southern suburbs of Chennai in Velachery, Pallipattu, Thiruvanmiyur and the localities along the IT corridor, according to an official press release.

According to company officials, the plant has commenced operations and is at about 50 per cent capacity which will be stepped up in stages in the coming weeks. The distribution pipelines are being flushed. The first desalination plant, also of 100 mld capacity, is operating at Minjur to the north of Chennai.