Remember the beautiful river in our town? It used to be clean and full of life, like a mirror reflecting the sky. Now, many rivers in India are dirty and green. 𝗪𝗵𝘆? Because the places that clean our dirty water, called 𝘀𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Imagine a superhero whose job is to clean dirty water. That’s what a sewage treatment plant (STP) does! It works hard all day and night to take dirty water from homes, industries, and institutions and make it clean again. But these superheroes face a tough enemy – too much dirty water and old cleaning methods.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀, STPs have relied on harsh chemicals and complex mechanical processes to break down organic matter and pollutants. While effective, these methods come with a hefty price tag. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆:

• 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: Running these plants requires significant energy for pumps, aeration systems, and other equipment. This translates to a constant drain on electricity budgets.
• 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Maintaining these plants is a labor-intensive task. Removing debris, cleaning clogged equipment, and managing the build-up of sludge all contribute significantly to operational costs.
• 𝗦𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: The process generates a thick, semi-solid byproduct called sludge. Disposing of this sludge safely and responsibly adds another layer of complexity and expense.

𝗠𝗿. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮, 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗶, 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹.

• 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: Harsh chemicals are expensive, and their rising prices put a strain on the plant’s budget.
• 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀: The constant strain on machinery leads to frequent breakdowns, causing delays and inefficiencies.
• 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: Mr. Verma worries about the impact on the environment. The harsh chemicals can seep back into water bodies, harming aquatic life and the delicate ecosystem.

There has to be a better way, a more sustainable solution for Mr. Verma and countless other sewage treatment professionals across India.

In the 2nd part of our story, we’ll learn about a revolutionary bio-enzyme-based solution – that’s better for the environment.