Water supply from the bottom up

Citizen Matters, Bangalore: Water supply from the bottom up - 23 July 2008

Rainbow Drive, an apartment complex of 200 houses seems to be all that the name suggests -- tree-lined pathways, moist breezes, and verdant gardens. But no one would believe that this is situated on Sarjapur Road, the ‘waterless colony' as this region of south-eastern Bangalore is being called in private circles.

Rainbow Drive was beginning to go the way of all ‘dry' colonies just four months ago. It does not have a water supply connection from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), and has been dependent on its rapidly depleting borewells.

According to a resident, Jayawanth Bhardwaj, formerly software engineer with Microsoft, but now involved mostly in community projects, the colony had used up five of its seven original borewells, and was living on its last two, which were decreasing in yield rapidly.

Four months ago, there were just two borewells in use for 200
houses, he explains. Half the colony used one well, while the other
half used the second one. The spectre of water scarcity and reliance on
tankers was beginning to loom large for a few residents, while others
were not even aware of the situation.

Today, though, things
are different. In just three months, the apartment complex has turned
around. Seven public (open) wells have been dug for ground water
recharge, 20 homes in the layout have implemented rain water harvesting
solutions (of various forms) and this includes around 10 private wells
in these homes.

(snip)