A significant desalination initiative in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, has been awarded to a consortium comprising UAE-based Metito and India's VA TECH WABAG (WABAG).

The Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) has granted the consortium the Perur Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant project, capable of producing 400,000 cubic meters per day, as stated in a joint press release.

The project's primary objective is to provide clean potable water to over 2.7 million residents in the South Chennai region of the state capital, Chennai.

Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, M. K. Stalin, inaugurated the project by laying its foundation stone.

The partnership's scope encompasses the complete project lifecycle: from design, engineering, and procurement to construction, installation, testing, and commissioning, spanning 42 months. Subsequently, there will be a 20-year period dedicated to the operation and maintenance of the plant.

The desalination process integrates Lamella Clarifiers, Dissolved Air Flotation System, Gravity Dual Media Filters, Reverse Osmosis, and Re-mineralisation.

Fady Juez, Managing Director of Metito, highlighted the Indian government's endeavours to effectively manage water resources through various adaptation and preservation strategies. This project is poised to become a benchmark in Chennai, India, and across Southeast Asia's water landscape.

Rajiv Mittal, Chairman and Managing Director of VA Tech WABAG, projected that with the project's completion, Chennai will establish itself as the Desalination Capital of India, producing over 750 million litres of desalinated water daily, with WABAG contributing an impressive 70 percent to this output.