The drinking water supply in Mumbai is increasingly under pressure from a growing population and continuing urbanisation. With a heavy reliance on monsoon rainfall and current sources of water, the city becomes exposed—particularly in those years when rainfall occurs later than anticipated or is uneven. A desalination plant could provide a pathway to diversify the sources of water and rely less on the irregularities of rainfall.
The Manori Project: Key Facts & Figures
Location: A 12-hectare government site in Sunset Point, Manori.
Capacity: 200 million litres produced daily (MLD) of treated drinking water will be produced using seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO).
Cost: Estimated cost is ₹3,200 crore.
Water Source: Seawater will be sourced from about 2.5 kilometres offshore.
Bidding Process & Timeline
While the tender was floated in May 2025, initial attempts had failed: previous tenders (December 2023, and April and August of 2024) were scrapped due to non-successful responses. The BMC had also carried out a study to identify issues in preliminary processes. Of ~20 companies and over 260 queries, this time four firms, including Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) and Welspun, submitted qualified bids. Officials expect to have a contractor finalized by next month, and the contractor is expected to mobilize to site by the end of the year.
Technical Planning & Inspiration
The technical planning has been supported by international cooperation: BMC signed a MoU with an Israeli company in 2021 for the purpose of preparing the detailed project report, utilizing Israel’s knowledge and expertise in desalination technologies. The proposal will utilize SWRO, which is the recognized standard approach for the large-scale desalination of seawater.
Broader Context & Implications
Mumbai is not the only coastal state in India pursuing desalination – Chennai has already built the first desalination plant in India. Given Maharashtra’s long coastline (~720 km), it makes strategic sense to invest in treating seawater, which can be especially to reduce stress on conventional sources. If everything goes as hoped, the plant in Manori could yield a more climate-resilient Mumbai, allow for a growing city population, and reduce the risk of water scarcity during dry spells. click here for source
