Surat Secures Rs.100 Crore for Clean Water Efforts

SURAT : Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has added another feather to its cap by securing a major national achievement under the Government of India’s Jal Hi Amrit campaign, a flagship initiative under AMRUT 2.0. The city’s sewage treatment infrastructure has once again emerged among the best in the country, earning national recognition and bringing in more than ₹100 crore in incentive grants for Gujarat’s second-largest city.

In the recently concluded Phase-III Assessment conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), 17 sewage treatment plants (STPs) operated by the Surat Municipal Corporation maintained their top performance standards and received high Clean Water Credit ratings. The achievement has made Surat eligible for the second installment of performance-based incentives under the scheme.

The latest assessment builds on Surat’s impressive track record. During the earlier Phase-I and Phase-II evaluations, 19 of the city’s 20 STPs were awarded the highest 5-star rating, while one plant received a 4-star rating. That outstanding performance resulted in Surat receiving ₹73.33 crore out of Gujarat’s total incentive allocation of ₹114.63 crore.

With the announcement of the third-phase results, Surat has now secured an additional ₹27.23 crore from the ₹32.53 crore allocated to Gujarat, taking the city’s cumulative incentive award under the programme to an impressive ₹100.55 crore.

Municipal officials described the recognition as a validation of Surat’s long-term investment in sustainable urban infrastructure and environmental protection.

“Surat has consistently focused on adopting advanced wastewater treatment technologies and promoting water reuse. This achievement reflects our commitment to environmental sustainability and efficient urban management,” a senior civic official said.

Currently, Surat treats an average of 1,320 million litres of wastewater every day through its network of 20 STPs. The city is also considered a national leader in supplying treated and purified water to industries through tertiary treatment systems, significantly reducing dependence on freshwater resources.

A major contributor to this success has been the Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) technology implemented at Surat’s Anjana STP. The innovation proved so successful that the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO) issued guidelines recommending the technology across the country.

Officials said the incentive funds will now be used to modernise existing STPs, improve operational efficiency and promote renewable energy solutions such as solar and wind power at treatment facilities.

The latest recognition further strengthens Surat’s reputation as a model city for sustainable sewage management and water reuse, setting a benchmark for urban local bodies across India striving to build environmentally resilient infrastructure.