Desalination plants in India are becoming one of the major sources of water to fulfill the growing water demand across the country. India has immense potential for seawater desalination due to its coastline. States in the coastal regions like Chennai, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Mumbai are actively investing in sea water desalination plants. 

Upcoming projects from Perur desalination plant to operational plants like Minjur desalination plant, Nemmeli desalination plant, and Jamnagar desalination are already fulfilling the clean water needs of the urban and rural population. 

In this blog you will explore the top desalination projects in India ranked based on their capacity and including the upcoming projects across various states. 

Top Desalination Plants in India (2025) (ranked based on capacity)

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Perur Desalination Plant

Perur desalination plant is set to become Southeast Asia’s largest desalination plant with a capacity of 400 MLD (Million Litres per day). It is being built at a project cost of INR 4,276.44 crores, executed by CMWSSB (Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board) and funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

On 22nd August 2023, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin laid the foundation stone for the Perur desalination plant. On 24th August 2023, the consortium of Metito and VA TECH WABAG was awarded the contract to develop the 400 MLD desalination plant that will supply clean potable water to 2.7 million people in Chennai. 

The contract includes design, engineering, procurement, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of the project within 42 months. The consortium also signed a 20-year O&M (Operations & Management) contract. 

The plant design includes two 200 MLD units, and its desalination process includes a Dissolved Air Flotation System, Gravity Dual Media Filters, Lamella Clarifiers, Reverse Osmosis, and Re-mineralization. The project is likely to be completed by December 2026.    

Manori Desalination Plant

The Manori desalination plant in Mumbai is planned to have a capacity of 200 MLD and the potential to expand to 400 MLD. It was first proposed in 2019, and a feasibility study for the project was conducted in 2022 by SMEC (Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation). BMC appointed SMEC as the project consultant for this project in 2022.

The project is being developed under Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with an estimated project cost of INR 3,520. This cost includes O&M charges for a period of 20 years. 

The project is being developed on land leased by the Maharashtra Tourism Department Corporation and Mr Velarasu, the commissioner of BMC, as written by the collector of Mumbai Suburbs. To date, a budget provision of INR 200 crores has been allocated by BMC for this project, which will be built across 12 hectares of land.

The desalination technology used in the Mumbai desalination plant will be based on the desalination plants in Israel. The tender for the desalination plant was refloated again for 15 days in August 2024 which was cancelled in September 2024 due to lack of bidders. 

The tender was announced for the bidders through a Swiss Challenge method for the project to be executed on a DBO (Design, Build, Operate) basis after IDE Technologies submitted its designs for the project. 

Pattipulam Desalination Plant

The Pattipulam desalination plant is a 200 MLD plant located in the Pattipulam village along the East Coast road (ECR). It is 4 km away from the nemmeli desalination plant. It has a capacity of 200 MLD and can be expanded to 400 MLD in the future. 

Aecom India Private Limited, GHD Pty Limited, and Watek Engineering Corporation were the project consultants. The estimated project cost for this project is about INR 1000 corers. Using reverse osmosis, this desalination plant supplies water to IT corridor in the state and southern suburbs.

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Jamnagar Desalination Plant

The Jamnagar desalination plant in Gujarat has 160 MLD capacity. It is located in the Jamnagar region of Gujarat. This project was developed in partnership by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) with IDE Technologies and VA TECH WABAG. 

It operates on Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) and was commissioned in 1998. It underwent several expansions in the years 2005 and 2008. A new reverse osmosis plant is being planned in the existing plant, increasing its overall capacity to 400,000 m³/day.

On 4th July 2022, VA TECH WABAG received a repeat order from RIL worth INR 430 crores for the construction of 53 MLD desalination plants. It has already implemented 24 MLD SWRO (seawater reverse osmosis) plants. This order includes engineering, procurement, and construction. The expansion of this project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2026. The Jamnagar desalination plant was built to fulfill the needs of the reliance refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat. 

Nemmeli Desalination Plant

The Nemmeli Desalination plant is one of the largest seawater desalination plants, with a capacity of 150 MLD. Initially planned with a capacity of 100 MLD, it is spread across 10.5 acres. 

The project is located at Nemmeli, east Road Chennai, Tamil Nadu, at a project value of INR 1,516 crores. The Chennai desalination plant was built under EPC (Engineering Procurement and Construction) contract by a consortium of contractors in 3 years. 

Nemmeli desalination plant layout

The project was built M/s. Va tech Wabag, M/s IDE Technologies (Israel). The joint venture of M/s.CobraInstalaciones Y Servicios S.A., Spain and M/s.Tecton Engineering & Construction LLC performed the construction and erection (Mechanical, Engineering, and Instrumental) process. M/s. JWIL Infra Ltd was awarded the contract to expand the project capacity.

The Nemmeli desalination plant was funded by KfW (German Funding Agency) and the AMRUT Scheme (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation). 

Minjur Desaliantion Plant

The Minjur desalination plant is a 100 MLD capacity sea water desalination plant built to bridge the demand and supply gap of drinking water to Chennai city. This Chennai desalination plant was built by the Government of Tamil Nadu at the Kattupalli Village, Minjur Panchayat, in the Northern part of Chennai. 

It is built on a DBOOT (Design, Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer) basis, which is one of the project delivery methods. The water treatment plant was commissioned on 25th July 2010. The CMWSS (Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewage Board) and  M/s. Chennai Water Desalination Limited (CWDL) signed a 25-year Bulk Water Purchase Agreement (BWPA).   

The M/s. Chennai Water Desalination Limited (CWDL) is a consortium of M/S IVRCL Infrastructures Ltd and M/s.Beffesa, Spain. The Minjur desalination project was built at a project cost of INR 500 crores, funded by the  M/s. Chennai Water Desalination Limited (CWDL) consortium.

The sea water desalination plant draws about 237 MLD of raw seawater by gravity and produces about 100 MLD through the reverse osmosis method. 

Dahej Desalination Plant

Dahej desalination plant is a 100 MLD plant located in Gujarat. It is the government's first-owned desalination plant. It supplies water to the industries nearby. This seawater desalination plant Is built across 25 acres of land at a project cost of INR 881 crores. 

The plant was built to fulfill the water needs of the industries nearby that earlier relied on the Narmada River. It was developed by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). This desalination plant sources 454 MLD water from the Narmada River and Narmada Canal and converts it to clean water.

Conclusion

India's growing population with increased water demand, the focus shifts towards desalination plants for clean water. From Perur desalination plant in Chennai to the Manori desalination plant and Jamnagar desalination plant in Mumbai and Gujarat, India is witnessing growth in the water treatment plants. Thus, With frequent expansions and new project implementations, India continues to expand its horizons in the desalination sector. 

Also Read: List of Top 10 Biggest Desalination Plants in the World

FAQ’s

What is the cost of a desalination plant in India?

According to the Government of India, Ministry of Earth Science, the cost of a plant to convert sea water into drinking water would depend on the type of technology, capacity, location, and cost of electricity, which varies from place to place.

 Which is the largest desalination plant in India?

Perur desalination plant is the largest upcoming desalination plant in India, with a capacity of 400 MLD. 

How many desalination plants in India?

 As of 2024, according to the Government Of India, Ministry Of Earth Sciences, The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has set up eight Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) plants in Lakshadweep, about 160 Reverse Osmosis (RO) based desalination plants across different states are commissioned by the CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemical Research Institute (CSMCRI). 

Apart from these, individual states also implement desalination projects under the centrally sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).

Which is the first desalination plant in India?

The Minjur Seawater Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu was India's first desalination plant built in 2010 with a capacity of 100 MLD.

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