India explores low cost, low energy water treatment technology
Thursday, 22 February, 2018
The Government of Maharashtra, India has signed a new collaboration agreement with South Australia, seeking water expertise and leading-edge technologies to meet future water challenges.
Interest in South Australia derived last year after the launch of the Rajasthan Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (RaCE WaRM) in conjunction with a pilot project trialling Hyrdo-dis water treatment technology at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT) in Jaipur.
This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides a base for a long-term relationship on water in a number of key areas including water storage, transfer, conflicts between agriculture and rural water demand, governance and coordination, across border water sharing, wastewater treatment and pricing systems.
ICE WaRM accompanied the Maharashtra government water delegation during their 3-day programme in Adelaide and arranged for Professor Howard Fallowfield to present his successful research and operation of High Rate Algal Ponds (HRAP); a wastewater treatment system developed at Kingston on Murray in collaboration with the Local Government Association of SA and Loxton Waikerie District Council.
Rural communities and small villages (1,000 – 5,000 people) are often responsible for treating their own wastewater. To avoid adverse effects on public health and the environment, treatment systems need to be resilient and sustainable. HRAP are natural, low energy and low cost, consumption treatment systems and highly applicable to the situation in Maharashtra. ICE WaRM is planning a subsequent meeting with in Maharashtra under the MoU, to progress interest in Fellowfield’s work, recognised by UNESCO.
Fellowfield continues his series of HRAP webinars with ICE WaRM in July later this year, with an in depth, two-day course including onsite visit, to follow in September at the Loxton Research Centre in South Australia. Learn more or register for these events.
Photo
Maharashtra government delegation with Steve Morton, Manager, International Business, DEWNR and Greg Ingleton, Business Development Manager – Environmental Opportunities, SA Water Corporation.
Related link
news.flinders.edu.au/blog/2017/03/22/flinders-water-project-goes-from-bush-to-world-stage