Alappuzha municipality launches mobile septage treatment unit

Alappuzha municipality introduces mobile septage treatment unit to tackle waste management issues effectively and sustainably.

In a bid to ensure sustainable waste management, the Alappuzha municipality has rolled out a mobile septage treatment unit (MTU). It was inaugurated by P.P. Chitharanjan, MLA, on Friday. The unit began operation by collecting septage from houseboats.

The civic body procured the MTU using funds sanctioned under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation scheme. Officials said that a second MTU would arrive soon.

The municipality deployed the unit with a total capacity of one lakh litres after completing trial runs. It will collect and process septage from households and establishments across the municipal area. A municipal council meeting held earlier this month approved rates for the scientific treatment of toilet waste. Households will be charged ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 depending on vehicle accessibility. In the case of families below the poverty line, ₹3,000 will be collected. Houseboats will have to pay a minimum of ₹2,000 per 1,000 litre and commercial establishments ₹6,000 per hour.

With an operational capacity of 6,000 litres per hour, the MTU will separate solid and liquid waste. Officials said the end product would be clear water, while the minimal quantity of thickened sludge would undergo secondary treatment. Treated water will be discharged into agricultural fields or drains, while the solid waste will be transported to a treatment facility and converted into fertiliser.

Alappuzha municipal chairperson K.K. Jayamma said that a mobile application related to the functioning of the MTU will be launched in the coming days. The civic body has already launched a toll-free number (+91-8943198777) for the public to book the unit. Those who need septage to be collected by the MTU should call the number. Waste collection will be carried out on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Dumping of septage by tanker lorries during nighttime into water bodies, including Vembanad Lake, has been a persistent issue, leading to water contamination, public complaints, and health hazards in the municipality. The MTU is expected to bring an end to the long-standing issue.

Alappuzha municipal health standing committee chairperson A.S. Kavitha, Punnamada ward councillor Sreelekha G. and others attended the function.