Vizag's Green Leap: New STPs for a Healthier City

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is set to enhance its sewage treatment infrastructure by constructing three new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at Appughar, Sagar Nagar, and Bheemili. This expansion aims to address the city's increasing sewage volume and reduce untreated discharge into the sea.

Visakhapatnam currently generates around 225 million litres per day (MLD) of sewage, of which 171 MLD is treated, while the remaining 54 MLD is released untreated into the ocean. The upcoming STPs will add a combined treatment capacity of 38 MLD, significantly lowering the volume of untreated sewage and supporting industrial water demands, which are estimated at nearly 400 MLD.

The STPs at Sagar Nagar and Bheemili are being developed under an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with project completion targeted within three years.

Presently, sewage flows through 41 drains—18 covered and 23 open—into the sea. Under the IFC-supported initiative, GVMC plans to convert 13 of the open drains into closed systems and upgrade the remaining 10. These efforts represent a major step toward sustainable water management and improved urban sanitation in Visakhapatnam.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.