The executive operations of the second phase of the wastewater treatment plant of Babol and Amirkola cities in Mazandaran Province have started, the managing director of the provincial Water and Wastewater Company said.
“With a capacity of 18,800 cubic meters per day, the project is estimated to cost $16 million,” Behzad Bararzadeh was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven.
“When it comes on stream, the capacity of the treatment plant will increase to 37,600 cubic meters per day,” he said, adding that the population covered by the plant will increase from the current 100,000 people to 200,000 people.
An estimated 130 million cubic meters of wastewater are produced by households in the northern tourist province, of which less than 20 mcm is treated and the rest flows into the Caspian Sea or seeps into the ground.
Most provinces recycle 50% of the sewage, but Mazandaran is far behind due to its lack of infrastructure.
Annual water consumption in the household sector of the province is about 150 mcm, which produces 130 mcm of effluent.
Not reclaiming this vast volume is an economic and environmental loss that adversely affects water tables.
Close to 90% of water demand in the region are met from underground resources and failing to efficiently treat wastewater will contaminate the underground reserves and put 3.2 million people at risk.
Sewage collection network in the province extends over 1,000 kilometers but less than 300,000 households in cities like Sari, Babol, Nowshahr and Chalus are connected.
Mazandaran Province has 470,000 hectares of agronomical and horticultural farms that produce 7 million tons of agricultural products a year. Major products are rice, kiwi, citrus fruits, flowers, plants, chicken, dairy and fish.
The treated wastewater can be used in the agricultural sector instead of the precious water extracted from the depleting groundwater resources.
