VA Tech Wabag is likely to start work on the Rs 1,033 crore desalination plant in the south of Chennai within a month. The company bagged the contract to set up the 100 million litre per day desalination plant which will use sea water to make fresh water to meet the drinking water needs of Chennai. The plant is to come up at Nemili, about 35 km south of Chennai on the East Coast Road. VA Tech will implement the project jointly with IDE Technologies of Israel.

The implementation includes a two year construction period followed up by a seven-year operation and maintenance contract to be handled by VA Tech Wabag. The construction cost is estimated at about Rs 533 crore funded through a grant of the Union Government and the balance of about Rs 500 crore for the operation and maintenance. Tamil Nadu has identified about 40 acres for the project.

Chennai Metro Water provides about 640 million litre a day and the desalination plant will add a further 100 mld which will be supplied to the southern parts of Chennai including Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur, Pallipattu, Guindy and MRC Nagar.