Date:28/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/28/stories/2007072858781000.htm

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Desalination plant coming up

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal on Friday announced that the proposed 10-million litre per day (MLD) offshore desalination plant will also come up off the coast of Chennai.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “Chennai is faced with immense problem with regards to availability of drinking water.

We want to help the people of the city… If it [the project] proved successful, more such plants would be established offshore along country’s coastline to meet the needs of those living in the coastal areas. ”

The plant is proposed to be established with the involvement of the private sector. There had been several offers for collaboration and the Ministry has short-listed three firms.

The project would produce pure drinking water at a cost of just four paise per litre, he added.

Mr. Sibal, however, declined to disclose the names of the short-listed firms.

The Ministry has already successfully demonstrated a one MLD offshore desalination plant off the coast of Chennai.

It was commissioned in April 2006.

Though the system was based on the well known principle of flash evaporation, it is considered a global first, considering that it is mounted on a floating barge, 40 km into the sea.