Trial Run Of Second FSST Plant Starts In Odisha’s Berhampur

Berhampur: The trial run of the second Faecal Sludge and Septage Treatment Plant (FSSTP) was launched by Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) at Sitalapalli on Monday.

The first plant was constructed at Mahuda. These two plants aim to ensure that faecal sludge is properly treated for composting purposes and water from it can be reused for irrigation.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had inaugurated the Mahuda plant through video conference on October 26, 2018. The cost of the FSTP-I was Rs 2.62-crore with a capacity of 40,000 liters per day which was designed and can be expandable to 80,000 liters per day.

But the FSTP-II is estimated to cost Rs 3.50 crore with a capacity of 60,000 liters per day. The trial run of the FSTP-II was inaugurated by BeMC Mayor Sanghamitra Dalei.

Thus the health hazard caused by the dumping of septage in water bodies, drains and open spaces in the city may come to an end. The Housing and Urban Development department and the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) have taken initiatives under AMRUT for construction of the FSTP.

Faecal sludge is a raw or partially digested combination of excreta which comes from pit latrines and septic tanks. The physical, chemical and biological composition of faecal sludge depends on the duration of storage, temperature and soil condition. Septage is liquid and solid material that is pumped from a septic tank, cesspool, or even onsite treatment facility. Septage is host to several disease causing organisms and is severely contaminated.

Faecal waste from the households stored in septic tanks would be collected through Cesspool Emptier occasionally for disposal at various places earlier.

BeMC is now having 5 Cesspool Emptier vehicles with 3KL capacity and out of these 3 have been privatised. Another private company is also having few Cesspool Emptier vehicles. But a total of 15 cesspool vehicles are required for safe emptying transportation of faecal sludge to feed 40 thousand liter to run a plant. As collection of the faecal sludge is yet to get a systematic process, there is a necessity to include neighbouring notified area councils (NACs) in the collection points, sources said.

“Thinking beyond the toilet, it’s time to ponder about the treatment of human waste and reuse it for the betterment of the environment and a healthy life. Discharge from insanitary latrines, sewage flowing in drains, effluent from septic tanks, septage, and rampant open defecation are polluting the environment and having adverse health impacts to all of us. Having proper disposal and a well-planned faecal sludge management is highly needed and should be given much importance in the current context”, said Deputy Commissioner BeMC, Ashirvad Parida, who is in-charge of the FSTP.

The treatment of the faecal sludge takes 21 days after which 70 percent water and 30 percent compost are separated. When the compost can be used as manure, the water derived from the faecal sludge can also be used for irrigation purposes or watering in the nurseries.

Project components include one septage receiving box and loading platform, two shelter cum thickening tanks, two anaerobic baffled reactors, two planted gravel filters, eight sludge drying beds, one compost storage shed, one sludge pumping arrangement, one leachate pumping arrangement, one polishing pond with aeration, 2400 square meter land space for nutrients and effluent reuse, 600 mts internal roads and one vehicle washing platform, sources said.