Pune: New housing projects in Pimpri Chinchwad may soon have to connect sewage treatment plants to the PCMC’s drainage network before obtaining completion certificates.Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)’s environment department has moved a proposal before the general body for approval, aimed at preventing untreated or treated effluent excess from being discharged into stormwater drains and eventually polluting rivers. Under the proposed policy, PCMC will verify the new projects’ sewage treatment plant (STPs) connections and charge Rs10,000 per project for linking the plants to the civic drainage network before granting completion certificate to these.Housing societies are required to reuse treated water for flushing, gardening and other non-potable purposes. Officials said excess treated water was sometimes discharged into stormwater drains, allowing it to eventually reach rivers.“We regularly inspect STPs and take action when societies release untreated effluent into stormwater lines. Fines are imposed and, in cases of repeated violations, water connections can also be disconnected,” a senior PCMC official said.Existing rules under the Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations (UDCPR) require housing projects to have functional STPs before obtaining completion certificates. There has been no stringent mechanism to ensure that STPs are connected to the civic drainage network in case of overflow.The proposed policy seeks to plug this gap by making the connection mandatory for all new projects. “All our drainage lines pass through the municipal corporation’s existing STPs, ensuring that only treated water is eventually released into rivers,” the official said.Existing housing societies would be allowed to get their STPs connected to the civic drainage network. Officials said societies could approach PCMC for the connection. It would help them avoid penalties for discharge of untreated effluent into stormwater drains or open spaces. “Connecting STPs to the PCMC drainage network will ensure that sewage reaches the civic treatment plants instead of being discharged into rivers,” the official said.
