Archive · 1 Oct 2026
BMC to End Powai Lake Sewage Inflow, Build STP
Powai Lake has been receiving a lot of sewage from nearby areas.
The BMC says this sewage will stop entering the lake from October 1, 2026.
Workers have connected 20 sewage outlets to treatment plants instead.
A new treatment plant is expected to start working by May 2027.
It will clean 8 million litres of sewage each day.
Another 8 million litres will be sent to the Bhandup treatment plant.
Sewage helped water hyacinth, a fast-growing aquatic plant, spread across the lake.
The BMC has already removed most of the estimated water hyacinth and plans to study more ways to improve the lake’s water quality.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will stop sewage entering Powai Lake from October 1, 2026.
Twenty sewage outflows have been intercepted and diverted to treatment plants at Bhandup and Filterpada.
The BMC has laid 3,056 metres of new sewer lines to redirect about 18 million litres of daily sewage.
A fully automated plant is planned to begin operations by May 2027, treating 8 million litres daily while the remaining 8 million litres goes to Bhandup.
The BMC has removed 20,340 of an estimated 24,000 metric tonnes of water hyacinth from the lake.
- Who
- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with oversight from Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar, is carrying out the work.
- What
- The BMC is stopping sewage inflow into Powai Lake, removing water hyacinth, and building a sewage treatment plant.
- When
- Sewage inflow is scheduled to stop on October 1, 2026; the new treatment plant is planned to start by May 2027.
- Where
- Powai Lake in Mumbai; diverted sewage is being sent to treatment plants at Bhandup and Filterpada.
- Why
- The measures aim to improve water quality, restore the lake’s ecology, and support biodiversity conservation.
- Sewage inflow
- About 18 million litres entered Powai Lake daily before diversion work.
- Intercepted outflows
- 20 sewage outflows have been intercepted.
- New sewer lines
- 3,056 metres of sewer lines were laid.
- Planned STP capacity
- The Powai plant will treat 8 million litres of sewage daily.
- Water hyacinth removed
- 20,340 metric tonnes, or 85% of the estimated quantity, had been removed by September 29, 2026.
- Lake size
- Powai Lake has a water spread of 223 hectares and a catchment area of about 600 hectares.
- Lake construction
- Powai Lake was built in 1891.