Visakhapatnam’s toxic stormwater drains threaten ecosystem
These drains engineered typically to handle excess rainwater by directing it away from urban areas to prevent flooding, have been compromised, as they also transport untreated or partially treated wastewater, impacting communities and the city’s coastline, reports Paul Nicodemus
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Polluted water and floating debris gathers at a drainage outlet before entering the Bay of Bengal at Sagar Nagar in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
The disturbing sight of plastic waste and other debris floating on the stagnant waters near the outfall of a stormwater drain, where it converges with the Bay of Bengal at Pedda Jalaripeta—one of Visakhapatnam’s most historic fishing settlements—has become a regular view.
The image captures Visakhapatnam, also known as the City of Destiny, and its growing challenge with stormwater drains, which are designed to carry rainwater and reduce flooding. However, these drains are increasingly transporting wastewater through many parts of the city throughout the year before discharging into the sea.
The city’s landscape is shaped by hills, valleys, reservoirs, wetlands and natural drainage channels that carry rainwater towards the Bay of Bengal. However, over time, many of these natural channels became part of the city’s stormwater drainage network.
On World Environment Day (June 5), the condition of Visakhapatnam’s geddas (local drainage channels) offers a glimpse into the coastal city’s natural drainage systems, urban infrastructure, and environmental health, which have become increasingly intertwined.
Official records submitted before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) show that several drains continue to carry what authorities describe as “Dry Weather Flow” (DWF), wastewater generated even in the absence of rainfall. Unlike black water, which is sewage from households, DWF primarily consists of grey water collected from kitchens, bathrooms, roads and other domestic sources.
The phenomenon highlights the widening gap between urban growth and sewerage infrastructure in one of Andhra Pradesh’s fastest-growing urban centres. As the city expanded, however, the sewerage infrastructure did not always keep pace.
According to submissions made by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) and the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal
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