Mumbai: Mumbai is turning to seawater to strengthen its drinking water supply as demand continues to rise and the city remains heavily dependent on rainfall to replenish its reservoirs.
By 2029, the city is expected to receive up to 400 million litres of drinking water every day from a major desalination project at Manori in northwestern Mumbai. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to become India’s largest desalination plant by capacity and make Mumbai only the second Indian city after Chennai to produce drinking water from seawater on such a scale.
The idea gained serious attention after Mumbai’s severe water shortage in 2009, when daily water cuts highlighted the city’s dependence on the monsoon. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is now developing the project at an estimated cost of ₹4,007 crore.
The Manori plant will cover around 12 acres. The first phase is planned to produce 200 MLD, with the second phase expected to eventually take the total capacity to 400 MLD.
The desalination process involves drawing seawater into the facility, filtering out debris and then forcing the water through specialised membranes under high pressure. These membranes separate dissolved salts and other impurities from the water. Minerals are then added back before the treated water is supplied for consumption. The concentrated brine left behind will be discharged into the sea under environmental safeguards.
Israel based IDE Technologies will construct and operate the desalination facility for 20 years, while Hyderabad based GVPR Engineers will handle the civil infrastructure.
Mumbai currently receives around 4,100 MLD from its lakes and reservoirs, while daily demand is estimated at approximately 4,664 MLD. This leaves a shortfall of around 500 to 600 MLD.
The gap becomes more challenging during delayed or weak monsoons. The new desalination plant is therefore expected to provide an additional and more reliable source of water as Mumbai’s population and commercial activity continue to expand.
