IIT Ropar shows the way in water conservation, becomes zero liquid discharge campus

CHANDIGARH: The 466 acre IIT campus in Ropar has implemented zero liquid discharge to meet with the environmental regulation in a challenging way. The institute has identified potentially recyclable streams and applicability of four Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover).

By achieving ZLD status and due to recycling of wastewater, the fresh water consumption of the campus has been reduced.

A zero liquid discharge(ZLD) can be defined as combination of techniques or facilities and system which will help the water loop of the institute to become close one for absolute recycling of permeate and converting solute (dissolved organic and inorganic compound/salts) into residue in the solid form by adopting methods like concentration and thermal evaporation.

The treated water is used in the campus for gardening purpose watering plants and lawns, in toilets flushes, in HVAC Cooling, Sludge generated from the Sewage Treatment Plant shall be rich in organic content and an excellent fertilizer for horticultural purposes.

The total water requirement for the institute is 434 kilolitre per day. Out of which 201 Kl per day is met through the tubewell and the remaining 233 Kl per day is met through recycling of treated wastewater.

The total wastewater generation is 247 Kl per day, out of which 245 Kl per day is treated in an STP of a capacity 300 kl per day and 2 kl per day generated from laboratories is treated in an ETP of capacity 5 kl per day.

The recycled water is to be used as 85 kl per day for flushing purposes, 36 kl per day for irrigating green area and 112 kl per day is used for HVAC cooling. In rainy season 197 kl per day will be used for HVAC Cooling and flushing purposes and 36 kl per day will be used for irrigation of green belt within the campus.

Professor S K Das, Director, IIT Ropar said, "Being a smart sustainable campus, we have robust institute water treatment facility that minimizes wastewater discharge and maximizes water recovery. The zero liquid discharge system will allow us to dramatically reduce the campus water intake requirements from river Satluj and virtually eliminate the return of any wastewater to the river."

Divulging more he added, "We have proven ourselves to be a responsible and environmentally conscious partner from day one, as we have got 5-star GRIHA Rating for a sustainable campus. We have set an example of Zero water discharge institute and being the second-generation IIT, we are setting an example for third generation IITs to join us in this hour of need for sustainable world."

Sustainable water policy Within a year of operation from the permanent campus, IIT Ropar took a big-picture approach to wastewater. Rainwater harvesting reservoir retention body has been already in the campus. There is electromagnetic flow meter at the outlet of the water supply, outlet of the STP and all pipelines used for re-using the treated water back into the system for flushing and horticulture maintains a record of reading of each such meter on daily basis.