BWSSB: Digging hard for water | | | Indian Express

BWSSB: Digging hard for water | | | Indian Express

BWSSB: Digging hard for water


Express News Service First Published : 29 Dec 2009 04:43:00 AM IST
ALL the sources of drinking water in and around Bangalore will not be able to quench the city's thirst in the next 30 years. Estimates suggest that Bangalore will need at least 2,550 MLD of water by 2040. Even if all the sources of drinking water are exploited, only 1,500 MLD of water will be available for the city.
Looking down the barrel on the unavoidable fact, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) amended the BWSSB act 1964 on August 27, 2009 to make way for rain water harvesting as a source of water for the city.
If the plans are implemented according to the amended laws, the harvested rain water is expected to meet the water requirements of the city for nearly six months in a year.
The BWSSB managed to supply Cauvery water to 16,000 households in the newly added areas of the city this year. More than 1,000 bore wells were dug to supply drinking water to these areas.
To bring in more water for the city, the department awarded most of the contracts for the implementation of Cauvery IV Stage II project and officials say the project will be completed in time — by 2012.
The water wastage has been causing a major dent in the department’s revenue. BWSSB has installed bulk flow meters to monitor the flow of water in different areas and to check the wastage of water. The geographic information system that is being currently developed is expected to help the department in checking the unaccounted for water. BWSSB has undertaken two major pilot projects to study the feasibility of implementing the system. The first of the two is expected to help the department trace the leakage in the city through satellite imagery.
The jetting machines inducted for clearing blockages in the sewage lines have proved effective.
BWSSB is also in the process of laying 2,300 kms of sewerage lines in the new areas of the city with World Bank aid. This project is expected to take shape in 2010.
Around 72 kms of major sewage lines were laid to ease the sewage flow from the city this year.