The National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT-R) has announced a nature-based wastewater treatment innovation aimed at restoring India’s dhobi ghats and safeguarding urban water bodies.
Developed by a team led by Kasturi Dutta of the Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, along with researchers Divyani Kumari and Karthika Shanmugam, the “Constructed Wetland–Microbial Fuel Cell (CW-MFC) System” is engineered to treat highly polluted laundry wastewater. Created by women scientists, the system can process unlimited wastewater, making it practical for densely populated dhobi ghats.
Dhobi ghats continue to play an important socio-economic role in many Indian cities, but shrinking freshwater sources and widespread contamination from untreated laundry discharge have intensified water scarcity and environmental strain. The NIT Rourkela team’s system offers a low-cost, chemical-free and energy-independent solution that integrates wetland plants, engineered filtration layers and electricity-producing microorganisms.
The pilot project was tested at the institute’s own dhobi ghat, which generates around 1,400 litres of detergent-heavy wastewater daily. The system reduced surfactants and chemical oxygen demand (COD) to within the permissible 1 ppm limit set by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
The setup includes two cylindrical constructed wetland units combined with a microbial fuel cell. Each unit contains gravel, sand and soil layers, along with graphite chunks acting as anode and cathode components. Both units are planted with locally available wetland species Canna spp. Laundry wastewater is pumped from the dhobi ghat to an overhead tank before entering the treatment units, producing odourless and colourless water suitable for reuse.
The system’s ability to generate real-time bioelectricity and scale up through additional units makes it a viable decentralised wastewater solution for urban slums, peri-urban areas and rural laundry setups. Its adaptability positions it for deployment in high-density dhobi ghats such as those in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi and Bengaluru’s Halasuru.
With the treated water reusable for washing, the technology reduces reliance on freshwater resources and helps prevent chemical contamination of lakes and drainage networks. The research team is now exploring collaborations with policymakers, municipal bodies and social organisations for wider implementation, noting the system’s potential.