June 1, 2025 – VA TECH WABAG LIMITED (WABAG) has successfully achieved a major marine milestone in the development of the 400 MLD Perur Desalination Plant, poised to be Southeast Asia’s largest desalination facility, with the launch and sinking of India’s longest and largest intake pipe.

In collaboration with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), the Government of Tamil Nadu, and Project Management Consultants, WABAG completed the marine works despite challenging sea conditions. The operations included the launch and controlled sinking of:

• Two Intake Pipelines (8th and 15th May 2025)
• One Outfall Pipeline (31st May 2025)

Each pipeline measures 2,500 mm in diameter, with one intake pipe extending 1,151 metres, making it the longest single intake pipe ever installed in India. All three pipelines were successfully installed within a record one-month timeframe, demonstrating exceptional marine engineering capabilities, precision planning, and seamless execution.

The WABAG team deployed advanced DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System) and RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) technologies to ensure accurate alignment and controlled placement under dynamic sea conditions. The achievement underscores WABAG’s technical prowess and operational agility in delivering complex infrastructure under tight timelines.

The 400 MLD Perur Desalination Plant will soon deliver 400 million litres of drinking water per day, playing a pivotal role in strengthening Chennai’s water security and supporting millions of lives with sustainable access to clean water.

This marine milestone not only represents a leap in scale and innovation but also reinforces WABAG’s enduring commitment to engineering excellence, environmental sustainability, and nation-building.