Kathmandu, December 30:

A project to treat wastewater, generate biogas and discharge treated water into the Punya Mata river got underway in Shreekhandapur, Dhulikhel, on December 28.

The project is excepted to see the light of the day in three months.

Locals hope that this project can indeed teach a lesson to people who have been living in settlements located near the rivers and finding it hard to keep the rivers clean. The UN-HABITAT has provided $90,000 for the project.

“Solid waste particles like human excreta will be separated from liquid waste and fed into two biogas digesters to produce biogas. Wastewater will be fed into six Reed Bed Treatment Plants. While wastewater will pass through reeds, roots of the reeds will absorb all dirt and pollutants and discharge treated water, Dr Roshan Raj Shrestha, chief technical adviser to the UN-HABITAT, says, elaborating the way the treatment plant will work. “The biogas digesters will produce cooking gas, which will be enough for 30 to 40 families of the community”.

Biogas will be supplied through pipelines since mechanism to store biogas is lacking. “The money generated by selling biogas will help keep the plant running,” Shrestha says. With support from Dhulikhel municipality, the local users’ committee will manage the plant and the Environment and Public Health Organisation will provide technical aid.

Anil Sthapit, director of Guthi, an NGO working for water and sanitation, said the reed-based treatment plant should be established in other parts of the nation as well to prevent contamination of rivers.