In a potential solution to the water crisis in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin has laid the foundation stone for South East Asia’s largest water desalination project. The project, headed by VA Tech Wabag (Wabag), a leading pure-play water technology Indian Multinational Group based in Chennai, is being initiated with an investment of Rs 4,400 crore.
Wabag secured the deal in March this year to design, build, and operate (DBO) a 400 million litres per day (MLD) seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination project. Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project will enhance Chennai’s water security by providing a stable source of drinking water through desalination. Moreover, the initiative will help the city earn the title of Desalination Capital of India, with almost 750 MLD of desalinated water to be produced along the Chennai coast. With the 400 MLD SWRO desalination plant, Wabag will be accountable for about 70 per cent of water production through desalination in Chennai.
This significant project represents a collaboration between the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) and a joint venture led by Wabag, Metito Overseas (Metito), and JICA. Upon successful completion, Wabag will oversee 20 years of operation and maintenance.
The innovative desalination process includes elements such as lamella clarifiers, a dissolved air flotation system, gravity dual media filters, reverse osmosis, and re-mineralisation. The state-of-the-art plant will generate 400 million litres of potable drinking water daily, to be distributed to South Chennai’s residents by CMWSSB.
Rajiv Mittal, chairman and managing director of Wabag, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “We are glad to be part of the Government of Tamil Nadu’s sustainable efforts to ensure water security for Chennai City through innovative water solutions. With the completion of the project, Chennai will emerge as the Desalination Capital of India, producing over 750 million litres of desalinated water every day, of which Wabag’s contribution will rise to an impressive 70 per cent.”
He continued, “The 400 MLD SWRO Desalination Plant will stand as a testament to ingenuity, innovation, and a shared vision for a more sustainable and resilient future for the city and the state. The undertaking of this project underscores Wabag’s dominant position in the global desalination market.”
Fady Juez, Metito’s managing director, added, “The Indian Government has been promoting various adaptation and preservation strategies to manage water resources more effectively. This project, promoted by CMWSSB in cooperation with JICA, will be a benchmark project for Chennai, India, and the entire Southeast Asia water scene. We look forward to applying our high-value engineering and integrating the latest technologies to ensure optimum performance and world-class quality output.”
