India to partially revise water quality standards for treated wastewater at Common Effluent Treatment Plants 
On November 11, 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India issued a draft regulation “Environment (Protection) (Amendment) Rules, 2022” amending the water quality standards for treated wastewater in Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) established in the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, and is soliciting opinions for 60 days. In addition to changing some items of the water quality parameters of treated wastewater (from Fixed Dissolved Solids (FDS) to Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and from Trivalent Chromium to Total Chromium), and changing the relaxation conditions for the maximum permissible TDS, it is proposed that “For a CETP, if the sectoral norms of the predominant contributing industrial sector are more stringent than the CETP norms, the same shall be applicable and supersede the CETP standards for those specific quality parameters” It should be noted that this revised regulation is scheduled to enter into force one year after the date of publication in the Official Gazette.
- The terminology for general quality parameter “Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)3, 27°C”, (Concentration in mg/l), shall be substituted by the terminology “Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)3, 27°C”.
- The general quality parameter “Fixed Dissolved Solids, FDS, (Concentration in mg/l), shall be substituted by the “Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)”.
- The specific quality parameter “Trivalent Chromium”, shall be substituted by “Total Chromium”.
- The existing note “Shall not exceed more than 5°C above ambient water temperature” for the specific quality parameter “Temperature (°C)”, shall be substituted by note “Shall not exceed more than 5°C above ambient temperature of the receiving water body”.
- The existing Note no. 2, shall be substituted by “The maximum permissible Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) limit w.r.t. treated effluent from a Common Effluent Treatment Plant shall be 2100 mg/l. However, the limit may be relaxed by the concerned SPCB/PCC, in case where TDS in intake (supplied) water to the member industries is above 1,100 mg/l and a maximum contribution up to 1,000 mg/l is permitted, provided the maximum value of 3,100 mg/l is not exceeded in the treated effluent from CETP”.
- A Note no. 5 shall be inserted “For a CETP, if the sectoral norms of the predominant contributing industrial sector are stringent than the CETP norms, the same shall be applicable and supersede the CETP standards for those specific quality parameters”
Environment (Protection)(Amendment) Rules, 2022:
https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2022/240198.pdf
The water quality standards for treated wastewater at Common Effluent Treatment Plants can be viewed at the following URL:
https://cpcb.nic.in/displaypdf.php?id=SW5kdXN0cnktU3BlY2lmaWMtU3RhbmRhcmRzL0VmZmx1ZW50L0NFVFAucGRm
Where to send objections and proposals related to this proposed regulation
Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Indira Paryavaran Bhawan, Jor Bagh Road, New Delhi – 110 003
E-mail: mscb.cpcb@nic.in and sonu.singh@gov.in
