Despite the talk of Swacch Bharat and making India open defecation free (ODF), the sewage treatment and management system in Mumbai leaves a lot to be desired as revealed by a performance audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The report has pointed to several shortfalls in the sewage waste management systems of the BMC, including around half of the sewage being discharged into the sea or water bodies without being treated, around 400 people using one toilet seat and a deficit of toilet seats in slums.
The CAG's report on local bodies for the year ended on March 31, 2016, was submitted to the state legislature on Friday. This report noted that Mumbai generated 2,146 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, of which only 1,098 MLD is treated. The remaining 1,048 MLD (49%) sewage was outside the sewage collection system and was discharged into the sea or creeks without being treated as on July 2016.
"This combined with poor treatment quality of sewage at four of the seven WWTFs (waste water treatment facilities) was polluting the sea water. As a result, BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) level of sea water had increased (2011-13)," it said.
"This was due to inadequate coverage of sewage network and low capacity utilisation of treatment facilities. Sewer line works proposed under Master Plan and feasibility works undertaken by SP (sewage project) were executed to the extent of 43.06 per cent (49.81 km of 115.67 km). Similarly, only 17 per cent work of rehabilitation of old lines was executed and no improvement took place in WWTFs," the report noted. It also pointed to how excess or over-payments were made to contractors.
According to Census 2011, out of total slum population of 52.07 lakh, 12.20 lakh people had no access to septic tanks. MSDP (Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project) had assessed requirement of 25,992 toilet seats considering one toilet seat to be used by 50 persons.
"However, MSDP could construct 5,797 toilet seats leaving deficit of 20,195 toilet seats as of March 2016. It was also observed that out of total available 8,594 toilet blocks only 2,476 toilet blocks were connected with sewer lines and electricity. There was no water connection in 6,464 toilet blocks. As per survey reports user ratio was not maintained as per set norms and it varied from 11 to 417 persons per toilet seat," the CAG report said.
The slow progress in construction of toilet blocks and connecting them to existing sewer lines resulted in continued discharge of untreated sewage into open nullahs, creeks and the sea.
The CAG recommended that the BMC "may prepare a comprehensive plan for improvement in slum areas thereby providing optimum numbers of toilet blocks along with sewage connection, electricity and water connections."
It suggested that the civic body take the initiative to make all the installed aerators operational at Versova, Bhandup and Ghatkopar WWTFs to safeguard the environmental interest at large and take steps to prevent excess payment to contractors.
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