Indian gas and oil firm ONGC has opted to build its own Rs 439 crore (US$ 66 million) reverse osmosis desalination facility as it faces uncertainty over provision from the local water supplier according to Times of India.
ONGC needs a continuous supply of drinking quality water for its oil refining and natural gas treatment at its Uran unit – the company’s largest. Its agreement with Mumbai water supplier MIDC is for 17 Ml/d. It currently receives 12-13 Ml/d from MIDC The desalination project has been planned with a capacity of 20 Ml/d.
The newspaper quoted a “sources” as saying: “One day’s loss amounts to around Rs 10 crore (US$ 1.5 million) and so the cost benefit when weighed in terms of the losses sustained as also the annual Rs 15 crore (US$ 2.3 million) water bill that we pay to MIDC, we decided to go ahead with the project.”
The newspaper’s sources said the Hazira gas treatment plant was also looking to instal a desalination plant.