Decentralised Wastewater Treatment A Way to Manage Septage in Shimla

This is a proposal from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) for the implementation of decentralised waste water technologies in the municipal zones of Shimla where currently centralised sewage treatment systems do not exist.
CSE has been recognized by the Ministry of Urban Development as a Centre of Excellence in the area of water management. As part of its activities, the Ministry has approved a proposal for CSE to take up the city of Shimla as a pilot case to implement decentralised waste water treatment technologies.
The Municipal Corporation(MC) of Shimla is currently one of the 63 JNNURM cities and is in the process of implementing reforms measures under the programme. The Detailed Project Report for the rehabilitation of the existing sewerage network and addition of new network and sewage treatment plants is in process.
The first sewerage system was laid in Shimla in 1880 for a population of about 16,000 people leading to 5 disposal points based on septic and sedimentation tanks. In 2005, the MC undertook an augmentation of the sewerage network by laying new lines and constructed 6 new sewage treatment plants with an installed capacity of 35.63 mld at Lalpani, Summer hill, North disposal, Dhalli, Sanjauli-Maliyana and Snowdon.