Written by Satchit Bhandarkar
BORDA Partner – CDD Regional Cooperation Office - Nagpur

The CDD Regional Cooperation Office at Nagpur along with the support of Network Partner have been lobbying at Maharashtra level to incorporate Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) in government policy for treatment of wastewater in urban & peri-urban areas. Due to continuous lobbying efforts for Development Control (DC) Regulation amendment at Municipal Corporation level, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has decided to amend their Development Control Regulations for recycle and reuse of wastewater. The decision taken by Nagpur Municipal Corporation is a major breakthrough for reducing water pollution & environmental pollution at city level.  The amendment in the DC Regulations will be a Model for other municipal corporations to make wastewater treatment mandatory at city level.

On 9th April 2010, a notification was issued by Nagpur Municipal Corporation to amend DC Regulation for wastewater recycling in Nagpur city. This regulation is approved by General Body, Nagpur Municipal Corporation for Notification. The main aim behind amending the DC Regulation was to make recycling of wastewater compulsory for small and medium township, apartments, hospitals, and commercial buildings for treatment of wastewater and its reuse in the city limits of Nagpur Municipal Corporation..

Under sanctioned DC Regulation No – 38, NMC has decided to include rules and regulations for decentralised wastewater treatment systems recycling and reuse. Under section 37(1) of Maharashtra Regional & Town Planning Act 1966 the regulations for wastewater recycling are as follows: 

A. Type of Waste Water:

i. Black water: means wastewater from toilets, urinals, and M.S.W.
ii. Grey water: - means wastewater from bathroom, sink, shower and washing clothes, etc.
iii. Apart from residential wastewater, industrial, medical, commercial and waste from garbage should be also processed as per the directives given by the pollution control board.

All the above wastewater should be recycled under these regulations. The wastewater recycling is applicable for following conditions:

(B-1)  For Layout Approval / Building Permission:

• In case of residential layouts, area measuring ‘4000 sq.m.’ (1 Acre)  or more, in addition to 15% open space the space for wastewater treatment plant should be proposed in layout and constructed as per municipal specifications and then final treatment plant should be constructed and recycled water should be reused other then drinking purpose, i.e. gardening, landscaping, flushing, fishpond, washing of roads, etc.

• If the Owner / Developer is unable to construct wastewater recycling plant then he has to deposit 50% of the estimated amount of construction of plant at the time of tentative approval and remaining 50% amount should be paid before the final sanction. In addition to this, Owner / Developer has to follow following conditions also

i. On the layout plan all drainage lines, chambers, plumbing lines should be marked in different color and submit it to NMC.
ii. In the estimate of wastewater recycling plant only provision for basic civil work and required machinery will be proposed by the N.M.C. other then these provisions additional machinery, plumbing, water tank pipe, landscape should be provided by Owner or Developer on his own cost.
iii. After every six months checking of plant and recycled wastewater should be done by owner/developer from recognised laboratory and N.O.C. should be submitted to N.M.C.
iv. Maintenance of recycling plant should be done by the developer or housing society or Owner.

(B-2)  Group Housing / Apartment Building:

In case of group housing, if the area measuring 2000 Sq.m. and   above or if consumption of water is 20,000 liters/per day or if a multistoried building where there are 20 or more tenements then wastewater recycling plant as mentioned in (B-1) above should be constructed.

(B-3)  Educational, Industrial, commercial, Government, Semi- Government organisation, Hotel, Lodging, etc:

For all above buildings having a built up area of 1500 Sq.m. or more or if water consumption is 20,000 liter per day which ever is minimum, then provision for wastewater treatment plant as mentioned in (B-1) is applicable.

(B-4)   Hospitals:
Those hospitals having 40 or more beds, wastewater recycling plant as mentioned in (B-1) is applicable.

(C) Penalty Clause:
        
a. Any person violating the provisions of these bye-laws, shall be fined Rs 2500/- only on the day of detection and if the violation continues, then he shall be fined Rs.100/- for every day as concrete action after written notice from N. M.C.

b. If any person fails to operate (as determined by the authorised officer of N.M.C. and from the observations of test results and or physical verification) the recycling plant, then he will be charged a penalty of Rs 300/- per day and disconnection of water connection also.

The above regulations to be included in the D.C. regulation of N.M.C. are kept for inspection in the office of Town Planning Department Nagpur Civil Lines, in office hours. Objections / suggestions if, can be communicated to Commissioner N.M.C. within a period of 1 Month from the day of publication of these regulations in Government Gazette.

Suggestions and Objection received after the above-mentioned period will not be considered.