Drinking water from sewage: BBMP shelves project

Drinking water from sewage: BBMP shelves project

Drinking water from sewage: BBMP shelves project

N R Madhusudhan
First Published : 28 Oct 2009 06:45:30 AM IST
Last Updated : 28 Oct 2009 08:19:21 AM IST

BANGALORE: Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has shelved its ambitious project to supply recycled sewage water for drinking purposes fearing public wrath, said a BWWSB official who did not want to be named.

The officials said: “People were against drinking purified sewage water.

Now, we will be supplying the tertiary treated sewage water for gardening and washing purposes to some areas through separate pipelines.” The first phase of the project was supposed to be completed by 2011 and was expected to provide BWSSB an additional 135 MLD (Million litres daily) of water to be supplied to the city.

In January 2008, the BWSSB had planned to start a project to recycle sewage and supply it for potable purpose. The project was expected to cost Rs 472 crore, and was to be jointly funded by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and the state government, which was taking a loan from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation.

According to the plan the sewage was supposed to be pumped to Tavarekere in Magadi Road after tertiary treatment at Vrishabavathi Valley. The water would then pass through an purification plant in Tavarekere and flow to Thippagondanahalli Tank. It would then become tha part of the city’s water supply.

According to BWSSB’s calculations, Bangalore would need around 2,200 MLD of water by 2025. At present, BWSSB supplies around 970 MLD of water through all its available resources.

BWSSB will get an additional supply of 500 MLD after the completion of Cauvery IV Phase II Stage in 2012. The BWSSB was looking to generate more than 700 MLD of water through the sewage purification project. Now, it has the onerous task of finding water elsewhere, as the water allocated to the city by the Cauvery tribunal would be completely used with the completion the Cauvery IV Phase II Stage.

m madhusudhan@epmltd.com