LUCKNOW, Sept. 7 -- Lucknow is generating nearly seven times more faecal sludge than its treatment infrastructure can handle. The city produces an estimated 657 kilolitres (KLD) of faecal sludge every day, largely from septic tanks in areas without sewer connections. Against this, it has treatment capacity of only 100 kiloliters per day, leaving a substantial gap in safe waste management.

Even this limited capacity is not being fully utilised. The 100-KLD faecal-sludge co-treatment facility at the 345-MLD (million litres per day) Bharwara sewage treatment plant (STP) has struggled to receive adequate sludge, with tankers often unloading at nearby sewage-pumping stations instead of travelling to the designated facility.

This raises conce...