I N I T I A L    S I T E    R E P O R T


Effluent Canal Pipeline, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

 Site Description
 Human Exposure & Health Impact
 Site Progress


Site Description 

Location & Size of Site
A 55 kilometer long effluent canal carries treated wastewater from the Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) of three large-scale industries viz., Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals, IOCL Gujarat Refinery and Indian Petrochemicals Limited. It flows from Vadodara towards the sea coast. Water from the canal is used to irrigate farms whose produce is then sold in the Baroda markets. An estimated 120 million liters of treated wastewater annually moves through this canal.

Contaminant Type, Source & Quantity
tudies done on the effluent channel in 1995 showed high metal concentrations of nickel, lead and zinc, as well as unacceptable levels of chlorides, sulfates, nitrates and metals in groundwater near the channel. Also, produce grown in the channel areas have a higher metal content than fruits and vegetables grown elsewhere.

Number of Potentially Affected People
Unknown

Health Impact of Pollutant
Unknown

Site Progress 
May 2005: Site visited by Blacksmith Institute. Some simple education for farmers to warn of possible contamination from irrigating crops with this water should be undertaken. Warning boards posted at 200 meter intervals would be sufficient. These recommendations will be made to the Gujarat Pollution Control Board authorities.