Over Rs.5,000-cr bonanza for Bangalore infrastructure | Business
Over Rs.5,000-cr bonanza for Bangalore infrastructure
Published on : Friday 05 Mar 2010 19:53 - by IANS
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Bangalore, March 5 : With an eye to the upcoming local body elections in the city, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa Friday announced that Rs.5,325 crore would be spent on various infrastructure projects in this tech hub during the 2010-11 fiscal.
"For the infrastructure development of Bangalore, the state government will spend a total of Rs.5,325 crore to improve city roads and footpaths, construction of fly-overs, service roads, over/under bridges, water tanks, 10 multi-storey vehicle parking centres and on the ongoing metro rail project," Yeddyurappa said during his budget presentation here.
Noting that about Rs.6,000 crore had been spent on the city's infrastructure during the last two years, the chief minister told the legislative assembly that the state government would invest a whopping Rs.18,872 crore over the next three years to improve the transport system by completing the Metro rail project, launching a mono rail and providing drinking water and drainage facility to new areas.
"The state government is prepared to share 50 percent of the capital required to operate local trains in the city with the central government through the railway ministry by connecting the various stations catering to long-distance trains and building new stations to provide faster and hassle-free travel for the people," Yeddyurappa told the members.
The budget has allocated Rs.600 crore as the state's share of the Metro project, which is in addition to Rs.1,600 crore spent over the last two years in the form of capital and loan.
With 34 percent of the people in the state living in cities and the urban-rural ratio widening every year, the chief minister said there was a need to formulate a systematic plan for providing infrastructure facilities in urban areas.
The budget proposes to spend Rs.600 crore to improve civic amenities in towns and cities across the state under the 'Mukhyamanthri Nagarothana Yojane' and Rs.304 crore to provide drinking water supply in 120 towns.
Copyright Indo Asian News
Monday, September 6, 2010
CM launches work on scheme to augment water supply
CM launches work on scheme to augment water supply
CM launches work on scheme to augment Bangalore water supply
Updated on Thursday, March 04, 2010, 22:06
Tags: Bangalore, CM launches work, augment water supply
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Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today launched works on the second stage of the Cauvery drinking water supply scheme-IV being implemented to augument water supply to the city.
The Rs 3,314 crore project taken up with Japan Bank for Industrial Cooperation loan assistance would supply additional 500 million litres of water to the city by 2012, he said.
Though the project was conceived in 2005, the then government did not take initiate due to "lack of political will", he said.
He said the government would soon take a decision on regularisation of unauthorised constructions on revenue and government land to help poor who have built houses and the measure would bring in at least Rs 10,000 crore revenue to the state exchequer.
Minister for Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Information, Katta Subramanya Naidu said by 2050 the city's drink requirement for drinking water would be in the order of 2000 million litres daily and currently 950 million litres was being supplied as against the demand of 1,225 MLD.
CM launches work on scheme to augment Bangalore water supply
Updated on Thursday, March 04, 2010, 22:06
Tags: Bangalore, CM launches work, augment water supply
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Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today launched works on the second stage of the Cauvery drinking water supply scheme-IV being implemented to augument water supply to the city.
The Rs 3,314 crore project taken up with Japan Bank for Industrial Cooperation loan assistance would supply additional 500 million litres of water to the city by 2012, he said.
Though the project was conceived in 2005, the then government did not take initiate due to "lack of political will", he said.
He said the government would soon take a decision on regularisation of unauthorised constructions on revenue and government land to help poor who have built houses and the measure would bring in at least Rs 10,000 crore revenue to the state exchequer.
Minister for Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Information, Katta Subramanya Naidu said by 2050 the city's drink requirement for drinking water would be in the order of 2000 million litres daily and currently 950 million litres was being supplied as against the demand of 1,225 MLD.
Underground drainage for new parts of city | | | Indian Express
Underground drainage for new parts of city | | | Indian Express
Underground drainage for new parts of city
Express News Service First Published : 04 Mar 2010 04:46:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 04 Mar 2010 06:56:44 AM IST
BANGALORE: Underground drainage (UGD) lines would be laid in the newly-added areas of the city within two years, BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu has said.
The minister convened a meeting with the city legislators on Wednesday to discuss the status of drinking water supply and drainage system in the city. He said the UGD work had started in most of the newly-added areas. The work in the remaining areas would start within 60 days, once the fresh tenders were processed, he said. Nearly Rs 1,000 crore would be spent on laying the UGD lines, he added.
“The chief minister will inaugurate the works related to Cauvery IV Stage, II Phase tomorrow and it will be commissioned by 2012.
Nearly 70 per cent of the water problems of the city will be solved as soon as this project is completed. We have already sanctioned money for sinking borewells in the newly-added areas to meet the increasing demand for drinking water during summer,’’ he said.
He said that in the next three months, the government would decide its next step to further encourage rainwater harvesting. He said they were considering the possibility of collecting rainwater on the sides of big drains by making sewage flow in the middle of those drains. He said that around 7,832 vacant posts in BWSSB would be filled soon and that jetting machines would be provided to all service centres to clear the sewage blockages. The government was also exploring means to improve water flow to the the tanks and rivers, he said.
Most MLAs and MLCs from the city participated in the meeting and discussed the water problems of their constituencies.
Underground drainage for new parts of city
Express News Service First Published : 04 Mar 2010 04:46:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 04 Mar 2010 06:56:44 AM IST
BANGALORE: Underground drainage (UGD) lines would be laid in the newly-added areas of the city within two years, BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu has said.
The minister convened a meeting with the city legislators on Wednesday to discuss the status of drinking water supply and drainage system in the city. He said the UGD work had started in most of the newly-added areas. The work in the remaining areas would start within 60 days, once the fresh tenders were processed, he said. Nearly Rs 1,000 crore would be spent on laying the UGD lines, he added.
“The chief minister will inaugurate the works related to Cauvery IV Stage, II Phase tomorrow and it will be commissioned by 2012.
Nearly 70 per cent of the water problems of the city will be solved as soon as this project is completed. We have already sanctioned money for sinking borewells in the newly-added areas to meet the increasing demand for drinking water during summer,’’ he said.
He said that in the next three months, the government would decide its next step to further encourage rainwater harvesting. He said they were considering the possibility of collecting rainwater on the sides of big drains by making sewage flow in the middle of those drains. He said that around 7,832 vacant posts in BWSSB would be filled soon and that jetting machines would be provided to all service centres to clear the sewage blockages. The government was also exploring means to improve water flow to the the tanks and rivers, he said.
Most MLAs and MLCs from the city participated in the meeting and discussed the water problems of their constituencies.
Snag in T K Halli reservoir pumps hits City’s water supply
Snag in T K Halli reservoir pumps hits City’s water supply
Snag in T K Halli reservoir pumps hits City’s water supply
Bangalore: Mar 3, DHNS:
A major electro-mechanical failure of pumps, which supply water to City from Thoraikadanahalli (T K Halli) reservoir due to severe heat clubbed with intermittent power supply, had crippled water supply to the City during the last three days.
Supply is likely to be restored on Thursday depending on the distribution schedule in different areas.
Areas of Hebbal, R T Nagar, Rajajinagar, Nandini Layout, Banaswadi, Yelahanka, HAL II and III Stage have been affected. While some streets in these areas were completely deprived of water certain streets managed to receive some water.
Due to electro-mechanical failure of some equipment used in pumping water at T K Halli (Cauvery II Stage) and Tataguni (III Stage) sub-stations the water supply from the reservoir was hit, said BWSSB sources.
“The technical term for the problem is called CT-flashover. To rectify the problem, pumps were switched off from 8.20 pm on Sunday to 4.55 am on Monday,” said a source.
A five-hour power disruption at T K Halli on Monday compounded their woes. Out of the 810 million litres per day (MLD) of water supplied from this reservoir to the City, which is located 100 kms from the City, 320 MLD is received through the III Stage, while 140 MLD is received through the II Stage. However, other parts of the City did not suffer disruption in water supply as the pumps in the I and IV Stage were functional.
Even as water supply was supposed to be restored on Wednesday there was intermittent pumping at all sub-stations due to a power crisis at T K Halli on the day, said a source.
“Our area received very less Cauvery water on Monday and Wednesday, the days when we get drinking water,” lamented C K Mari Madaiah, a member of Senior and Junior Citizens’ Welfare Association, HAL III Stage.
When questioned about restoration of water supply, an official remarked, “Bangalore experiences acute water and power crisis during summer. Hence, one cannot make any assurance.”
DH News Service
Snag in T K Halli reservoir pumps hits City’s water supply
Bangalore: Mar 3, DHNS:
A major electro-mechanical failure of pumps, which supply water to City from Thoraikadanahalli (T K Halli) reservoir due to severe heat clubbed with intermittent power supply, had crippled water supply to the City during the last three days.
Supply is likely to be restored on Thursday depending on the distribution schedule in different areas.
Areas of Hebbal, R T Nagar, Rajajinagar, Nandini Layout, Banaswadi, Yelahanka, HAL II and III Stage have been affected. While some streets in these areas were completely deprived of water certain streets managed to receive some water.
Due to electro-mechanical failure of some equipment used in pumping water at T K Halli (Cauvery II Stage) and Tataguni (III Stage) sub-stations the water supply from the reservoir was hit, said BWSSB sources.
“The technical term for the problem is called CT-flashover. To rectify the problem, pumps were switched off from 8.20 pm on Sunday to 4.55 am on Monday,” said a source.
A five-hour power disruption at T K Halli on Monday compounded their woes. Out of the 810 million litres per day (MLD) of water supplied from this reservoir to the City, which is located 100 kms from the City, 320 MLD is received through the III Stage, while 140 MLD is received through the II Stage. However, other parts of the City did not suffer disruption in water supply as the pumps in the I and IV Stage were functional.
Even as water supply was supposed to be restored on Wednesday there was intermittent pumping at all sub-stations due to a power crisis at T K Halli on the day, said a source.
“Our area received very less Cauvery water on Monday and Wednesday, the days when we get drinking water,” lamented C K Mari Madaiah, a member of Senior and Junior Citizens’ Welfare Association, HAL III Stage.
When questioned about restoration of water supply, an official remarked, “Bangalore experiences acute water and power crisis during summer. Hence, one cannot make any assurance.”
DH News Service
Biogas from sewage to produce electricity | | | Indian Express
Biogas from sewage to produce electricity | | | Indian Express
Biogas from sewage to produce electricity
N R Madhusudhan First Published : 04 Mar 2010 04:47:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 04 Mar 2010 06:56:34 AM IST
BANGALORE: Managing sewage has given many a sleepless night to the officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), what with the city discharging 700 million litres of it daily.
After a dull public response put the board's plan of turning sewage into drinking water on the backburner, BWSSB is now setting its eyes on generation of biogas with the treatment of sewage.
“We are planning to use the biogas that would be produced from sewage for generating electricity. If all the sewage discharged in the city is used for this purpose, the current power crisis can be solved to some extent,” said a BWSSB official.
The BWSSB will construct 13 plants around the city to generate biogas from sewage.
Three of the plants will be constructed near the old sewage treatment plants.
The sewage will be directed into a specially designed bio-digester, which will facilitate the generation of biogas (mostly methane) from it. The biogas thus generated will be used as fuel for the generation of electricity, sources said.
Sewage becomes less toxic after biogas is generated as some of the poisonous gases are released in the process.
Thus, the residue can be used as manure.
After the process, the sewage water can be treated and used for non-potable purposes such as watering plants and washing clothes.
Tertiary-treated sewage is also considered safe for drinking after ultra-filtration, sources added.
The BWSSB had organised a seminar in June 2009 to create awareness about the generation of biogas from sewage, in which a delegation from the Swedish Energy Agency had also participated.
The idea of generating biogas from sewage had been discussed in the seminar.
madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
Biogas from sewage to produce electricity
N R Madhusudhan First Published : 04 Mar 2010 04:47:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 04 Mar 2010 06:56:34 AM IST
BANGALORE: Managing sewage has given many a sleepless night to the officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), what with the city discharging 700 million litres of it daily.
After a dull public response put the board's plan of turning sewage into drinking water on the backburner, BWSSB is now setting its eyes on generation of biogas with the treatment of sewage.
“We are planning to use the biogas that would be produced from sewage for generating electricity. If all the sewage discharged in the city is used for this purpose, the current power crisis can be solved to some extent,” said a BWSSB official.
The BWSSB will construct 13 plants around the city to generate biogas from sewage.
Three of the plants will be constructed near the old sewage treatment plants.
The sewage will be directed into a specially designed bio-digester, which will facilitate the generation of biogas (mostly methane) from it. The biogas thus generated will be used as fuel for the generation of electricity, sources said.
Sewage becomes less toxic after biogas is generated as some of the poisonous gases are released in the process.
Thus, the residue can be used as manure.
After the process, the sewage water can be treated and used for non-potable purposes such as watering plants and washing clothes.
Tertiary-treated sewage is also considered safe for drinking after ultra-filtration, sources added.
The BWSSB had organised a seminar in June 2009 to create awareness about the generation of biogas from sewage, in which a delegation from the Swedish Energy Agency had also participated.
The idea of generating biogas from sewage had been discussed in the seminar.
madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
Firemen live in ‘stables’ | | | Indian Express
Firemen live in ‘stables’ | | | Indian Express
Firemen live in ‘stables’
Y Maheswara Reddy First Published : 01 Mar 2010 08:02:33 AM ISTLast Updated : 01 Mar 2010 09:55:25 AM IST
BANGALORE: At the firemen’s residential area in Bangalore South Fire Station it is a sight repeated every other day: around 20 women surround four taps with colourful plastic cans and dull steel vessels of various sizes.
While their men are busy dousing flames across the city with thick jets of water, the women are anxious to see that even the last few drops flowing out of rusted pipes are not wasted. Water is valuable; the taps flow once in two days, only for a few hours. Some had to forgo breakfast to be at the tap, some will skip lunch, others missed college.
Nalina, a PU II year student at NMKRV College, says, “What can I do? My mother has gone to her native place. I did not go to college since there was no water at home. I was not able to collect enough since the flow of water was very slow.” Bharathi, a housewife, said pipes were laid more than a year ago to provide taps in all quarters but water connection is yet to be given. “We are facing acute water shortage here. We have to collect water from the tank adjacent to the road whenever we have no water,” says Bharathi.
Water is just one of their problems.
About 30 families in Bangalore South Fire Station live in one-room quarters that are only slightly bigger than bathrooms in modern apartments.
The 10 feet by 7 feet rooms, used as stables during the British era, now house families.
“We are not in a position to invite our relatives. Whenever relatives come to our homes some of us have to sleep under the cot or even in the kitchen (a makeshift structure outside the room),” says another housewife who did not want to be identified.
However, F R Shariff, Regional Fire Officer, Bangalore South said that efforts were being made to improve the living conditions of firemen.
“We have spent a considerable amount to lay the water pipe from quarters to the road. We have been pursuing the matter with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board officials. If the families of firemen have any other problems they can approach me. I am here to solve their problems,” says Shariff.
m maheswarareddy@expressbuzz.com
Firemen live in ‘stables’
Y Maheswara Reddy First Published : 01 Mar 2010 08:02:33 AM ISTLast Updated : 01 Mar 2010 09:55:25 AM IST
BANGALORE: At the firemen’s residential area in Bangalore South Fire Station it is a sight repeated every other day: around 20 women surround four taps with colourful plastic cans and dull steel vessels of various sizes.
While their men are busy dousing flames across the city with thick jets of water, the women are anxious to see that even the last few drops flowing out of rusted pipes are not wasted. Water is valuable; the taps flow once in two days, only for a few hours. Some had to forgo breakfast to be at the tap, some will skip lunch, others missed college.
Nalina, a PU II year student at NMKRV College, says, “What can I do? My mother has gone to her native place. I did not go to college since there was no water at home. I was not able to collect enough since the flow of water was very slow.” Bharathi, a housewife, said pipes were laid more than a year ago to provide taps in all quarters but water connection is yet to be given. “We are facing acute water shortage here. We have to collect water from the tank adjacent to the road whenever we have no water,” says Bharathi.
Water is just one of their problems.
About 30 families in Bangalore South Fire Station live in one-room quarters that are only slightly bigger than bathrooms in modern apartments.
The 10 feet by 7 feet rooms, used as stables during the British era, now house families.
“We are not in a position to invite our relatives. Whenever relatives come to our homes some of us have to sleep under the cot or even in the kitchen (a makeshift structure outside the room),” says another housewife who did not want to be identified.
However, F R Shariff, Regional Fire Officer, Bangalore South said that efforts were being made to improve the living conditions of firemen.
“We have spent a considerable amount to lay the water pipe from quarters to the road. We have been pursuing the matter with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board officials. If the families of firemen have any other problems they can approach me. I am here to solve their problems,” says Shariff.
m maheswarareddy@expressbuzz.com
Every drop counts
Every drop counts
Every drop counts
The advantages of a rainwater harvesting system completely outweigh the costs involved. It requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households, reports Anisha Mehta
Get ready to conserve water. With the BWSSB announcing that all new and existing buildings need to opt for rainwater harvesting before May 27 or face disconnection of water supply, immediately, myriad questions pop up - where do you get this connection? How much will I end up paying? Will it really benefit me?
“Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) can solve many of Bangalore’s water woes,” says Vijay Krishna G, Director, R&D, India Water Portal, a charitable trust that aims to provide access to safe and sustainable water for all.
He points out that people across the city need to be more aware of the advantages this new rule will bring along with it. “It can enable households, factories, schools and offices to overcome problems of irregular and inadequate water supply or water supply of poor quality.”
The process involves storing rain water that falls within one’s premises and re-using it after basic treatment. By using equipment that is easily available, rain water is diverted towards existing underground tanks or terrace-fitted tanks and then supplied to the taps. “Treated rain water is safe not just for cleaning and washing, but also for cooking and personal consumption,” says Krishna.
So what exactly are these regulations? All new buildings with site area of 1,200 square feet (30 x 40 site) and above, and existing buildings with site area of 2,400 square feet (40 x 60) need to install RWH structures in their premises. This applies to all buildings including residential, non-residential, commercial and government.
How to save rain water...
Rain water that falls on the roofs should be harvested through a storage tank or recharged through an open well or a borewell in the building irrespective of the nature of sub-soil conditions. Rain water from open spaces around the buildings including gardens and parks should be harvested using appropriate ground water recharge structures depending on the nature of the sub-soil conditions.
There are two options available for people. The first is collecting water and the other is ground water recharge. People are welcome to do both. According to the norms, every sq mt of roof area requires 20 litres of water storage. For ground water recharge, for every sq mt of ground area, 10 litres of storage or infiltration are required.
Help at hand
The BWSSB and organisations like India Water Portal and Argyham are there to offer help. BWSSB has a 24-hour hotline number (155313) and a help desk for rainwater harvesting (23341652 / 23348848 / 23348849) has been set up by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. This helpline will ensure that people plan the structure, provide information on whom to approach and how much will the structure cost.
“The BWSSB site has a host of information to help people adapt to the change. It provides lists of plumbers who are qualified to implement rainwater harvesting. Also, Bangalore has many water consultants who can help you with the entire set up,” informs Krishna. The advantages of this system completely outweigh the costs involved. Rainwater harvesting requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households. Labour charges for hiring of local expertise such as masons and plumbers will be additional.
Therefore, the cost would depend on the type and length of the PVC pipes and on additional investments for storing rainwater such as new terrace fitted, ground fitted or underground water tanks. Materials costs involve purchase of natural filtration ingredients such as pebbles, sand, small stones which are easily available. Overall, it is a one time investment with nominal expense related to maintenance of rainwater harvesting system. At the individual level, Krishna suggests some other ways of conserving water. “Individual water metres are the need of the hour. Majority of buildings have a common metre that gauges the total water consumption of residents irrespective of the amount each household consumes.”
Individual metres help
Individual metres instead will help civic authorities charge individual households according to the water they use. Deconstructing water bills in this manner, to a great extent, will bring down water consumption. As Krishna points out, water problems in the city are going to get worse and it’s time to adopt a pro-active approach towards conserving this precious resource. Here is where water security comes into the picture. “People should be aware about water security, before they buy their dream home,” he says. First things first, ensure that the building is harvesting rain water. Also, if it has a proper sewage treatment facility and if they have installed individual water meters. “People are ignorant about the fact that RWH can save up to 30 per cent of the water they use at home,” adds Krishna. Majority of people living in apartment blocks use water tankers many a time to fulfill their water needs. Rainwater harvesting will help them reduce, if not entirely remove their dependency on water tankers.
Another change that can be introduced in homes is getting rid of the RO (reverse osmosis) water treatment system. “This technique actually wastes a lot of water.”
Forgoing reverse osmosis can help save up to 30 to 50 per cent of water used in a single home,” says Krishna. He adds, “Rainwater harvesting ensures a win-win situation for the government and people at large. It’s the purest form of water available and helps conserve water. Time we realise its far reaching benefits.” So, get started!
Use low flush toilets and low flood shower heads.
Landscaping too helps save lot of water.
Maintaining lawns in individual and apartment blocks is common in the city, but these lawns consume large amounts of water.
Instead grow plants, that too, local species to save water as they easily adapt to the local climate.
Rain water harvesting can help store water that can be used for car washing, gardening, washing vessels and drinking too, provided it’s filtered properly.
For the same, regularly check your water filter. Boiling it before drinking is also advisable.
Every drop counts
The advantages of a rainwater harvesting system completely outweigh the costs involved. It requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households, reports Anisha Mehta
Get ready to conserve water. With the BWSSB announcing that all new and existing buildings need to opt for rainwater harvesting before May 27 or face disconnection of water supply, immediately, myriad questions pop up - where do you get this connection? How much will I end up paying? Will it really benefit me?
“Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) can solve many of Bangalore’s water woes,” says Vijay Krishna G, Director, R&D, India Water Portal, a charitable trust that aims to provide access to safe and sustainable water for all.
He points out that people across the city need to be more aware of the advantages this new rule will bring along with it. “It can enable households, factories, schools and offices to overcome problems of irregular and inadequate water supply or water supply of poor quality.”
The process involves storing rain water that falls within one’s premises and re-using it after basic treatment. By using equipment that is easily available, rain water is diverted towards existing underground tanks or terrace-fitted tanks and then supplied to the taps. “Treated rain water is safe not just for cleaning and washing, but also for cooking and personal consumption,” says Krishna.
So what exactly are these regulations? All new buildings with site area of 1,200 square feet (30 x 40 site) and above, and existing buildings with site area of 2,400 square feet (40 x 60) need to install RWH structures in their premises. This applies to all buildings including residential, non-residential, commercial and government.
How to save rain water...
Rain water that falls on the roofs should be harvested through a storage tank or recharged through an open well or a borewell in the building irrespective of the nature of sub-soil conditions. Rain water from open spaces around the buildings including gardens and parks should be harvested using appropriate ground water recharge structures depending on the nature of the sub-soil conditions.
There are two options available for people. The first is collecting water and the other is ground water recharge. People are welcome to do both. According to the norms, every sq mt of roof area requires 20 litres of water storage. For ground water recharge, for every sq mt of ground area, 10 litres of storage or infiltration are required.
Help at hand
The BWSSB and organisations like India Water Portal and Argyham are there to offer help. BWSSB has a 24-hour hotline number (155313) and a help desk for rainwater harvesting (23341652 / 23348848 / 23348849) has been set up by the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. This helpline will ensure that people plan the structure, provide information on whom to approach and how much will the structure cost.
“The BWSSB site has a host of information to help people adapt to the change. It provides lists of plumbers who are qualified to implement rainwater harvesting. Also, Bangalore has many water consultants who can help you with the entire set up,” informs Krishna. The advantages of this system completely outweigh the costs involved. Rainwater harvesting requires commonly used equipment such as PVC pipes and storage tanks which are usually found in most households. Labour charges for hiring of local expertise such as masons and plumbers will be additional.
Therefore, the cost would depend on the type and length of the PVC pipes and on additional investments for storing rainwater such as new terrace fitted, ground fitted or underground water tanks. Materials costs involve purchase of natural filtration ingredients such as pebbles, sand, small stones which are easily available. Overall, it is a one time investment with nominal expense related to maintenance of rainwater harvesting system. At the individual level, Krishna suggests some other ways of conserving water. “Individual water metres are the need of the hour. Majority of buildings have a common metre that gauges the total water consumption of residents irrespective of the amount each household consumes.”
Individual metres help
Individual metres instead will help civic authorities charge individual households according to the water they use. Deconstructing water bills in this manner, to a great extent, will bring down water consumption. As Krishna points out, water problems in the city are going to get worse and it’s time to adopt a pro-active approach towards conserving this precious resource. Here is where water security comes into the picture. “People should be aware about water security, before they buy their dream home,” he says. First things first, ensure that the building is harvesting rain water. Also, if it has a proper sewage treatment facility and if they have installed individual water meters. “People are ignorant about the fact that RWH can save up to 30 per cent of the water they use at home,” adds Krishna. Majority of people living in apartment blocks use water tankers many a time to fulfill their water needs. Rainwater harvesting will help them reduce, if not entirely remove their dependency on water tankers.
Another change that can be introduced in homes is getting rid of the RO (reverse osmosis) water treatment system. “This technique actually wastes a lot of water.”
Forgoing reverse osmosis can help save up to 30 to 50 per cent of water used in a single home,” says Krishna. He adds, “Rainwater harvesting ensures a win-win situation for the government and people at large. It’s the purest form of water available and helps conserve water. Time we realise its far reaching benefits.” So, get started!
Use low flush toilets and low flood shower heads.
Landscaping too helps save lot of water.
Maintaining lawns in individual and apartment blocks is common in the city, but these lawns consume large amounts of water.
Instead grow plants, that too, local species to save water as they easily adapt to the local climate.
Rain water harvesting can help store water that can be used for car washing, gardening, washing vessels and drinking too, provided it’s filtered properly.
For the same, regularly check your water filter. Boiling it before drinking is also advisable.
Water from sewage? No, thank you | TTW | BIAL | Indian Express
Water from sewage? No, thank you | TTW | BIAL | Indian Express
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Home > Cities > Bangalore > Water from sewage? No, thank you
Water from sewage? No, thank you
NR Madhusudhan First Published : 24 Feb 2010 05:08:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 24 Feb 2010 07:02:23 AM IST
BANGALORE: It seems there are no takers for tertiary treated water (TTW), despite it being cheaper and water scarcity escalating with each passing day.
TTW is water generated by treating sewage three times.
More than 95 per cent of the sediments are removed from the sewage during the treatment. Therefore, one can easily use it for washing and cleaning purposes.
If TTW is purified in an ultrafiltration plant or reverse osmosis plant, it can be used even for drinking purposes.
Tertiary treated water costs only Rs 25 per kilolitre as against Rs 60 per kilolitre for normal water.
At present, only Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Bharat Electronics (BEL) consume TTW in Bangalore.
The two companies are consuming around five million litres of TTW per day (MLD) The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has a 10 MLD capacity tertiary treatment plant at Hebbal and 60 MLD plant at Vrishabhavathy Valley.
Every day, BWSSB produces around 15 MLD of TTW and uses the surplus TTW for gardening and washing purposes.
BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy said, “We have written letters to BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) and Contractors’ Association, requesting them to use TTW for construction and gardening purposes.
But they have not responded favourably till now. If they start using it, it will help us conserve power and the ecology.
Moreover, it is much cheaper than other sources of water.” Ramamurthy added that BWSSB was also exploring the possibility of supplying TTW to four different points in the city through pipelines to encourage people to use it. “We can give it at Rs 15 per kilolitre if the users can transport TTW themselves,” he said.
At present, the city needs 1,200 MLD water. However, BWSSB supplies around 870 MLD water through its sources. The city would need at least 2,050 MLD of water by 2025. Hence, TTW is considered to be one of the viable alternatives, as all the existing sources of water would have been thoroughly tapped by then.
madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
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Home > Cities > Bangalore > Water from sewage? No, thank you
Water from sewage? No, thank you
NR Madhusudhan First Published : 24 Feb 2010 05:08:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 24 Feb 2010 07:02:23 AM IST
BANGALORE: It seems there are no takers for tertiary treated water (TTW), despite it being cheaper and water scarcity escalating with each passing day.
TTW is water generated by treating sewage three times.
More than 95 per cent of the sediments are removed from the sewage during the treatment. Therefore, one can easily use it for washing and cleaning purposes.
If TTW is purified in an ultrafiltration plant or reverse osmosis plant, it can be used even for drinking purposes.
Tertiary treated water costs only Rs 25 per kilolitre as against Rs 60 per kilolitre for normal water.
At present, only Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) and Bharat Electronics (BEL) consume TTW in Bangalore.
The two companies are consuming around five million litres of TTW per day (MLD) The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has a 10 MLD capacity tertiary treatment plant at Hebbal and 60 MLD plant at Vrishabhavathy Valley.
Every day, BWSSB produces around 15 MLD of TTW and uses the surplus TTW for gardening and washing purposes.
BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy said, “We have written letters to BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) and Contractors’ Association, requesting them to use TTW for construction and gardening purposes.
But they have not responded favourably till now. If they start using it, it will help us conserve power and the ecology.
Moreover, it is much cheaper than other sources of water.” Ramamurthy added that BWSSB was also exploring the possibility of supplying TTW to four different points in the city through pipelines to encourage people to use it. “We can give it at Rs 15 per kilolitre if the users can transport TTW themselves,” he said.
At present, the city needs 1,200 MLD water. However, BWSSB supplies around 870 MLD water through its sources. The city would need at least 2,050 MLD of water by 2025. Hence, TTW is considered to be one of the viable alternatives, as all the existing sources of water would have been thoroughly tapped by then.
madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
Bangalore: State to Buy 850 MW of Power
Bangalore: State to Buy 850 MW of Power
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 8:25:31 AM (IST)
Bangalore: State to Buy 850 MW of Power
World Class TITAN Showroom..
Now in MANGALORE & BANGALORE
DHNS
Banglaore, Feb 24: The State government will buy 850 MW of power for two months from March 1 to mitigate the power shortage in the State, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa announced in Bangalore on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Yeddyurappa said the gap between the demand and supply of power exceeded nine million units per day as on Tuesday.
While the present demand in the State was 134 million units per day, the supply was 125 mu, he pointed out.
The State plans to buy 200 MW from Jindal, 300 MW from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), 250 MW from Power Trading Corporation (PTC) and 100 MW from NTPC Visvesvaraya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (VVNL) Bank, he said. In energy terms, purchasing 850 MW power would translate to 17 mu per day. Financially, the additional purchase of power will cost the exchequer Rs 800 crore.
The Chief Minister said he would direct Escom officials to ensure that they stick to the loadshedding schedule as announced. Escoms have also been directed to ensure that power supply is not interrupted during evening or night to avoid inconveniencing students studying for examinations.
Yeddyurappa said as promised, the State will achieve self-sufficiency in power with the addition of 5,000 MW power capacity to the state grid by the next three years.
Drinking water supply
Meanwhile, Minister for Urban Development Suresh Kumar has said that power disruption would be a major hurdle in tackling drinking water problem in summer and has demanded the Government to provide an express feeder line to supply power exclusively for supplying drinking water.
The minister said that the city corporations in the State were taking precautionary measures to ensure proper water supply during summer. Control rooms would be set up to monitor water supply and special committees would be constituted to address any failure in the system. “The major problem we are facing is non-availability of power to pump water,” he said.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 8:25:31 AM (IST)
Bangalore: State to Buy 850 MW of Power
World Class TITAN Showroom..
Now in MANGALORE & BANGALORE
DHNS
Banglaore, Feb 24: The State government will buy 850 MW of power for two months from March 1 to mitigate the power shortage in the State, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa announced in Bangalore on Tuesday.
Addressing a press conference, Yeddyurappa said the gap between the demand and supply of power exceeded nine million units per day as on Tuesday.
While the present demand in the State was 134 million units per day, the supply was 125 mu, he pointed out.
The State plans to buy 200 MW from Jindal, 300 MW from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), 250 MW from Power Trading Corporation (PTC) and 100 MW from NTPC Visvesvaraya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (VVNL) Bank, he said. In energy terms, purchasing 850 MW power would translate to 17 mu per day. Financially, the additional purchase of power will cost the exchequer Rs 800 crore.
The Chief Minister said he would direct Escom officials to ensure that they stick to the loadshedding schedule as announced. Escoms have also been directed to ensure that power supply is not interrupted during evening or night to avoid inconveniencing students studying for examinations.
Yeddyurappa said as promised, the State will achieve self-sufficiency in power with the addition of 5,000 MW power capacity to the state grid by the next three years.
Drinking water supply
Meanwhile, Minister for Urban Development Suresh Kumar has said that power disruption would be a major hurdle in tackling drinking water problem in summer and has demanded the Government to provide an express feeder line to supply power exclusively for supplying drinking water.
The minister said that the city corporations in the State were taking precautionary measures to ensure proper water supply during summer. Control rooms would be set up to monitor water supply and special committees would be constituted to address any failure in the system. “The major problem we are facing is non-availability of power to pump water,” he said.
BWSSB proposes big hike in water tariff
BWSSB proposes big hike in water tariff
BWSSB proposes big hike in water tariff
Bangalore, Feb 22, DH News Service:
A proposed 11.5 per cent hike in water tariff may be imposed soon on Bangaloreans, who are already reeling under an acute power crisis and a daily water shortage of 300 million litres.
The increase in tariff has been proposed by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to compensate for the excess expenditure incurred due to the recent hike in power charges.
The State government is yet to take a final decision, but the BWSSB is ready with its rationale for the hike. Board chairperson P B Ramamurthy said the BWSSB is incurring an additional expenditure of Rs 2.5 crore on the bills to be paid to BESCOM every month due to the increase in power bills.
“The annual expenditure towards power bills was Rs 260 crore earlier, but the increase in power tariff has now shot up this expense by 11.5 per cent now,” Ramamurthy explained at a talk arranged by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) here.
Water needs to be pumped to the City from a distance of 100 kilometres.
The board, he said, is helpless. The burden has to be passed on to consumers. That means the Bangalorean has no escape from the summer woes, compounded by the power crisis.
Currently, the minimum water tariff is Rs 45 for water consumption up to a maximum of 8,000 litres a month, according to BWSSB spokesman Prahlad Rao.
Augmenting supply
The board has also recommended to the government two concrete steps to augment drinking water supply.
“To ensure additional supply of water to Bangalore apart from Stage IV and Phase II, we have asked the State to ensure an additional 12 TMC feet of water from the Cauvery,” Ramamurthy said.
A proposal has also been made to divert West-flowing rivers and tap the water from them.
The City is now reeling under a shortage of 300 million litres per day. The level in the T G Halli reservoir, which caters to the water requirements of West Bangalore, is just 20 feet out of its total capacity of 74 feet.
This is a 12-foot reduction in water level compared to the readings in the previous year. The completion of the Rs 3,384-crore Cauvery Stage IV Phase II project by the end of 2011 will ensure an additional 500 million litres of water per day for the City.
Power worries
FKCCI president J Crasta said the frequent power shutdowns in the State during the last one week is proving to be disastrous for the industry.
“Industries all over the State are incurring a loss of Rs 1 crore per day due to the erractic supply,” he added.
Ramamurthy said the BWSSB would set up 10 additional sewerage treatment plants.
“At the moment, we have the capacity to treat 721 million litres of sewerage but only around 346 million litres are being treated as the rest go to storm water drains,” he said.
He also said the government would soon implement a zero sewerage zone project in the Hebbal valley in the city.
BWSSB proposes big hike in water tariff
Bangalore, Feb 22, DH News Service:
A proposed 11.5 per cent hike in water tariff may be imposed soon on Bangaloreans, who are already reeling under an acute power crisis and a daily water shortage of 300 million litres.
The increase in tariff has been proposed by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to compensate for the excess expenditure incurred due to the recent hike in power charges.
The State government is yet to take a final decision, but the BWSSB is ready with its rationale for the hike. Board chairperson P B Ramamurthy said the BWSSB is incurring an additional expenditure of Rs 2.5 crore on the bills to be paid to BESCOM every month due to the increase in power bills.
“The annual expenditure towards power bills was Rs 260 crore earlier, but the increase in power tariff has now shot up this expense by 11.5 per cent now,” Ramamurthy explained at a talk arranged by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) here.
Water needs to be pumped to the City from a distance of 100 kilometres.
The board, he said, is helpless. The burden has to be passed on to consumers. That means the Bangalorean has no escape from the summer woes, compounded by the power crisis.
Currently, the minimum water tariff is Rs 45 for water consumption up to a maximum of 8,000 litres a month, according to BWSSB spokesman Prahlad Rao.
Augmenting supply
The board has also recommended to the government two concrete steps to augment drinking water supply.
“To ensure additional supply of water to Bangalore apart from Stage IV and Phase II, we have asked the State to ensure an additional 12 TMC feet of water from the Cauvery,” Ramamurthy said.
A proposal has also been made to divert West-flowing rivers and tap the water from them.
The City is now reeling under a shortage of 300 million litres per day. The level in the T G Halli reservoir, which caters to the water requirements of West Bangalore, is just 20 feet out of its total capacity of 74 feet.
This is a 12-foot reduction in water level compared to the readings in the previous year. The completion of the Rs 3,384-crore Cauvery Stage IV Phase II project by the end of 2011 will ensure an additional 500 million litres of water per day for the City.
Power worries
FKCCI president J Crasta said the frequent power shutdowns in the State during the last one week is proving to be disastrous for the industry.
“Industries all over the State are incurring a loss of Rs 1 crore per day due to the erractic supply,” he added.
Ramamurthy said the BWSSB would set up 10 additional sewerage treatment plants.
“At the moment, we have the capacity to treat 721 million litres of sewerage but only around 346 million litres are being treated as the rest go to storm water drains,” he said.
He also said the government would soon implement a zero sewerage zone project in the Hebbal valley in the city.
Get set to pay more for water - Bangalore - City - The Times of India
Get set to pay more for water - Bangalore - City - The Times of India
Get set to pay more for water
TNN, Feb 23, 2010, 01.49am IST
Article
Comments
Tags:water bill|bwssb
BANGALORE: The hike in power tariff may see a proportional increase in your water bills. In order to meet its increasing monthly expenditure on power charges, the BWSSB has written to the government asking for a proportional hike in the water tariff.
"We are incurring almost a 11.5% increase in our monthly power charges, paying Rs 2.5 crore extra a month. This, in addition to our regular payment of Rs 260 crore a year. In case the government approves our proposal, there might be a proportional hike in water tariff for both domestic and commercial consumers," BWSSB chairperson P B Ramamurthy told reporters at a meet at FKCCI here on Monday.
No water today in North, East
There will be no water supply in the North and East parts of Bangalore on Tuesday.
The crisis follows a sudden sludge in the motors of Cauvery water scheme 3rd stage in TK Halli on Monday. Almost all the machines have stopped functioning since evening.
BWSSB officials said that the repair work is in progress and that the supply will be restored after Tuesday.
Read more: Get set to pay more for water - Bangalore - City - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Get-set-to-pay-more-for-water/articleshow/5605195.cms#ixzz0yjY6iRIT
Get set to pay more for water
TNN, Feb 23, 2010, 01.49am IST
Article
Comments
Tags:water bill|bwssb
BANGALORE: The hike in power tariff may see a proportional increase in your water bills. In order to meet its increasing monthly expenditure on power charges, the BWSSB has written to the government asking for a proportional hike in the water tariff.
"We are incurring almost a 11.5% increase in our monthly power charges, paying Rs 2.5 crore extra a month. This, in addition to our regular payment of Rs 260 crore a year. In case the government approves our proposal, there might be a proportional hike in water tariff for both domestic and commercial consumers," BWSSB chairperson P B Ramamurthy told reporters at a meet at FKCCI here on Monday.
No water today in North, East
There will be no water supply in the North and East parts of Bangalore on Tuesday.
The crisis follows a sudden sludge in the motors of Cauvery water scheme 3rd stage in TK Halli on Monday. Almost all the machines have stopped functioning since evening.
BWSSB officials said that the repair work is in progress and that the supply will be restored after Tuesday.
Read more: Get set to pay more for water - Bangalore - City - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Get-set-to-pay-more-for-water/articleshow/5605195.cms#ixzz0yjY6iRIT
Tanker water all the way - Bangalore - City - The Times of India
Tanker water all the way - Bangalore - City - The Times of India
Tanker water all the way
TNN, Feb 22, 2010, 01.45am IST
Article
Comments (10)
Tags:water supply|bwssb
BANGALORE: The Outer Ring Road is dotted with huge high-rises. These sprawling apartments are not covered by the BWSSB yet, and their borewells are drying.
Not just these apartments. The residents of erstwhile City Municipal Councils (CMCs) are yet to get Cauvery water supply. So they totally depend on private suppliers and shell out as much as Rs 8 lakh per month! In the city, residents pay anything between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 per month.
Most of the apartment complexes on Sarjapur Road, Bellandur junction area, Bannerghatta Road, Whitefield and Marathalli depend on borewell water. But since these wells go dry, the residents and the management of the complexes turn to private water suppliers. Now with the sweltering heat on, the water scarcity has become more pronounced.
"How can the authorities give clearance to these huge apartments without any surety of water supply? BDA had approved the construction of this apartment on the basis of assurance from BWSSB. We purchased the apartment in 2003. BWSSB had assured to give water in 2004. Till date there is no water. We are on a rocky terrain and so cannot access borewell water. All we can do is buy tanker water. We need 70 to 80 tankers every day to sustain these 550 apartments. We know that the sources of the tanker water might not be reliable. But what do we do?," questions Raj Ramchandani, management committee member, Springfields apartments near Outer Ring Road.
Presently, he is taking help from the local leaders to drill borewells somewhere close by.
There are other apartments too which rely on borewells. "We depend only on borewell water. The BWSSB water supply does not cover our area. Earlier borewellls would yield adequate water. But in eight years, many apartments have come up leading to less pressure. This means our borewells are drying," says Ashok Ramaswami, president, RWA, Sobha Garnet, on Sarjapur Road.
They have a rainwater recharge system but not a rainwater storage sump yet. With the BWSSB legislation of mandatory rainwater harvesting coming into place, these apartments will have to pull up their socks soon.
The Sun City is another huge apartment block near Sarjapur Road where water shortage looms. With around 1,300 apartments, the consumption is around 10 lakh litres to 12 lakh litres per day. The building authorities are also worried that people are not paying heed to the looming water disaster.
Adding to their woes is eight to nine hours of power cuts. This has the DG sets running for hours to pump water from borewells. "On some days we have to spend as much as Rs 50,000 on diesel to pump water. And we do not charge for water. You can imagine the financial strain," he said.
The apartments are looking at alternatives. Sobha Garnet has a groundwater recharge system and specific car washing days and timings and marked days for landscaping and gardening. Sun City has a sewage treatment plant (STP) that recycles around 25,000 litres per day which is then used for watering the garden. The private water suppliers are making a killing. When TOI contacted some water tanker suppliers, they quoted anything between Rs 450 and Rs 600 for one load of water tanker supply. They said each tanker holds approximately 6,500 litres of water and can be used by 80 to 100 people.
If one goes by their claim, an apartment complex housing 1,500 families needs on an average 40 tankers, spending Rs 20,000 on water alone per day. This would in turn cost Rs 6 lakh per month for an apartment complex keeping the prices at minimum.
While BWSSB officials maintain that the Litre Per Capita Demand (LPCD) is about 120 litres and they supply around 120 litres in the city, residents complain that the water supply is not adequate. According to Raj Ramchandani, managing committee member of Springfields apartment complex on Outer Ring Road which is mainly dependent on tanker water supply, the water suppliers have formed unions.
NO LAW
The flourishing water supply business has also led to the indiscriminate drilling of borewells. But the authorities are yet to check the rampant private water supply business or the drilling which contributes to the groundwater depletion. A BWSSB official said: "There is no law to restrict private water tanker supply business.
At most the BBMP health officials can take action against them if they supply unhygienic water. The Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation for protection of drinking water sources) draft bill formulated in 1999 is yet to see the light of the day, the official said. The Act proposes to restrict the drilling of borewells within 500 metres of public water source.
Read more: Tanker water all the way - Bangalore - City - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Tanker-water-all-the-way/articleshow/5601217.cms#ixzz0yjY0Rj8z
Tanker water all the way
TNN, Feb 22, 2010, 01.45am IST
Article
Comments (10)
Tags:water supply|bwssb
BANGALORE: The Outer Ring Road is dotted with huge high-rises. These sprawling apartments are not covered by the BWSSB yet, and their borewells are drying.
Not just these apartments. The residents of erstwhile City Municipal Councils (CMCs) are yet to get Cauvery water supply. So they totally depend on private suppliers and shell out as much as Rs 8 lakh per month! In the city, residents pay anything between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 per month.
Most of the apartment complexes on Sarjapur Road, Bellandur junction area, Bannerghatta Road, Whitefield and Marathalli depend on borewell water. But since these wells go dry, the residents and the management of the complexes turn to private water suppliers. Now with the sweltering heat on, the water scarcity has become more pronounced.
"How can the authorities give clearance to these huge apartments without any surety of water supply? BDA had approved the construction of this apartment on the basis of assurance from BWSSB. We purchased the apartment in 2003. BWSSB had assured to give water in 2004. Till date there is no water. We are on a rocky terrain and so cannot access borewell water. All we can do is buy tanker water. We need 70 to 80 tankers every day to sustain these 550 apartments. We know that the sources of the tanker water might not be reliable. But what do we do?," questions Raj Ramchandani, management committee member, Springfields apartments near Outer Ring Road.
Presently, he is taking help from the local leaders to drill borewells somewhere close by.
There are other apartments too which rely on borewells. "We depend only on borewell water. The BWSSB water supply does not cover our area. Earlier borewellls would yield adequate water. But in eight years, many apartments have come up leading to less pressure. This means our borewells are drying," says Ashok Ramaswami, president, RWA, Sobha Garnet, on Sarjapur Road.
They have a rainwater recharge system but not a rainwater storage sump yet. With the BWSSB legislation of mandatory rainwater harvesting coming into place, these apartments will have to pull up their socks soon.
The Sun City is another huge apartment block near Sarjapur Road where water shortage looms. With around 1,300 apartments, the consumption is around 10 lakh litres to 12 lakh litres per day. The building authorities are also worried that people are not paying heed to the looming water disaster.
Adding to their woes is eight to nine hours of power cuts. This has the DG sets running for hours to pump water from borewells. "On some days we have to spend as much as Rs 50,000 on diesel to pump water. And we do not charge for water. You can imagine the financial strain," he said.
The apartments are looking at alternatives. Sobha Garnet has a groundwater recharge system and specific car washing days and timings and marked days for landscaping and gardening. Sun City has a sewage treatment plant (STP) that recycles around 25,000 litres per day which is then used for watering the garden. The private water suppliers are making a killing. When TOI contacted some water tanker suppliers, they quoted anything between Rs 450 and Rs 600 for one load of water tanker supply. They said each tanker holds approximately 6,500 litres of water and can be used by 80 to 100 people.
If one goes by their claim, an apartment complex housing 1,500 families needs on an average 40 tankers, spending Rs 20,000 on water alone per day. This would in turn cost Rs 6 lakh per month for an apartment complex keeping the prices at minimum.
While BWSSB officials maintain that the Litre Per Capita Demand (LPCD) is about 120 litres and they supply around 120 litres in the city, residents complain that the water supply is not adequate. According to Raj Ramchandani, managing committee member of Springfields apartment complex on Outer Ring Road which is mainly dependent on tanker water supply, the water suppliers have formed unions.
NO LAW
The flourishing water supply business has also led to the indiscriminate drilling of borewells. But the authorities are yet to check the rampant private water supply business or the drilling which contributes to the groundwater depletion. A BWSSB official said: "There is no law to restrict private water tanker supply business.
At most the BBMP health officials can take action against them if they supply unhygienic water. The Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation for protection of drinking water sources) draft bill formulated in 1999 is yet to see the light of the day, the official said. The Act proposes to restrict the drilling of borewells within 500 metres of public water source.
Read more: Tanker water all the way - Bangalore - City - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/Tanker-water-all-the-way/articleshow/5601217.cms#ixzz0yjY0Rj8z
Power cuts could choke water supply too | | | Indian Express
Power cuts could choke water supply too | | | Indian Express
Power cuts could choke water supply too
Express News Service First Published : 20 Feb 2010 06:48:02 AM ISTLast Updated : 20 Feb 2010 08:37:36 AM IST
BANGALORE: The water supply to the city might be affected this summer not only because there is very less water in Thippagondana Halli Reservoir but also due to irregular power supply and power cuts.
If the frequency of power supply goes below 50 cycles per second, the pumping capacity of the motors decrease and it reduces the water supply to the city. Every day around 810 MLD of Cauvery water is pumped to the city through Torekadanahalli, Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations and around 57 pumps of different capacities pump water to the city round the clock.
Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) draws power from the Central Grid at Somanahalli on Kanakpura Road and supplies the same through a separate line to these pumping stations.
The water is diverted to 48 ground level reservoirs (GLRs) after it reaches the city and is pumped through 58 pumps to the consumers from there. The functioning of these pumps is also frequently interrupted due to power cuts. Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) also supplies water to the newly-added areas of the city through over 7,000 borewells.
A BWSSB official said, "There will be nearly 10 per cent less water supply in the city due to power fluctuations and that is a setback for us as the demand for water will be high during summer.
Those who buy water from other sources should buy it from the suppliers who are certified by the government laboratories or accredited laboratories and supply in EPI-coated tankers.’’ BESCOM Managing Director Tushar Girinath said, "BWSSB has given us the list of their installations. We will ensure continuous power supply to these installations wherever they are connected to a separate feeder. It is practically impossible to assure uninteruppted power supply to the borewells as there is acute shortage of power in the state".
A KPTCL official said, "We draw power from the central grid, which is common for all the southern states. We have been supplying 220 KV power to the BWSSB and we will continue to do that as long as we get it from the grid.’’ m madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
Power cuts could choke water supply too
Express News Service First Published : 20 Feb 2010 06:48:02 AM ISTLast Updated : 20 Feb 2010 08:37:36 AM IST
BANGALORE: The water supply to the city might be affected this summer not only because there is very less water in Thippagondana Halli Reservoir but also due to irregular power supply and power cuts.
If the frequency of power supply goes below 50 cycles per second, the pumping capacity of the motors decrease and it reduces the water supply to the city. Every day around 810 MLD of Cauvery water is pumped to the city through Torekadanahalli, Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations and around 57 pumps of different capacities pump water to the city round the clock.
Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (KPTCL) draws power from the Central Grid at Somanahalli on Kanakpura Road and supplies the same through a separate line to these pumping stations.
The water is diverted to 48 ground level reservoirs (GLRs) after it reaches the city and is pumped through 58 pumps to the consumers from there. The functioning of these pumps is also frequently interrupted due to power cuts. Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) also supplies water to the newly-added areas of the city through over 7,000 borewells.
A BWSSB official said, "There will be nearly 10 per cent less water supply in the city due to power fluctuations and that is a setback for us as the demand for water will be high during summer.
Those who buy water from other sources should buy it from the suppliers who are certified by the government laboratories or accredited laboratories and supply in EPI-coated tankers.’’ BESCOM Managing Director Tushar Girinath said, "BWSSB has given us the list of their installations. We will ensure continuous power supply to these installations wherever they are connected to a separate feeder. It is practically impossible to assure uninteruppted power supply to the borewells as there is acute shortage of power in the state".
A KPTCL official said, "We draw power from the central grid, which is common for all the southern states. We have been supplying 220 KV power to the BWSSB and we will continue to do that as long as we get it from the grid.’’ m madhusudhan@expressbuzz.com
City short on water too; monsoon’s the only hope | | | Indian Express
City short on water too; monsoon’s the only hope | | | Indian Express
City short on water too; monsoon’s the only hope
NR Madhusudhan First Published : 19 Feb 2010 03:58:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 19 Feb 2010 09:15:48 AM IST
BANGALORE: Will it be a difficult summer for Bangaloreans this time? The answer is yes at least for the areas that were added to the city not long ago.
The situation is likely to improve only by the end of 2011 when the Cauvery IV stage II phase project is scheduled to be completed and the city will get an additional 500 million litres per day (MLD) and Cauvery water can be supplied to even the far flung areas.
The growing demand for water in the city and the depleting ground water levels are making the job of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) that much more difficult.
Apart from the mantra of judicious and equitable distribution to the different parts of the city, BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy stresses the need for all households to instal rainwater harvesting systems that was made mandatory recently.
Rainwater harvesting recharges groundwater, besides taking off the burden on BWSSB, he explains.
For the time being though, the areas on the outskirts will get their supply from the borewells. Before being merged with the city, these areas got their water supply from as many as 6,000 borewells.
To augment the supply, BWSSB got 1,536 new borewells sunk in 2008-09. It has got permission to sink 1,000 more this summer.
This time, BWSSB plans area-wise strategies to ensure equitable distribution of the available water. For this, it will be conducting division-level meetings.
On an average, the city consumes 1,200 MLD of water and BWSSB pitches in with 870 MLD, while the rest of the supply comes from private distribution agencies.
With the demand increasing substantially during summer and BWSSB having no additional water sources, it faces an unenviable task every summer.
BWSSB pumps water to the city from Torekadanahalli and Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoirs. Cauvery water is released from the Kabini reservoir to Shiva Anicut and from there it is diverted to Torekadanahalli, where it is treated.
From Torekadanahalli, the water is pumped to the city through the Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations.
The water is then routed to the 48 ground level reservoirs (GLRs) in different parts of the city, before it makes its way to the households and other establishments.
“At present, we are getting 810 MLD of water from all the four stages of the Cauvery water project. Around 60 MLD of treated water is pumped to the city from TG Halli,” Ramamurthy said.
In addition to all these efforts, BWSSB will be hoping for early rains so that there is no major problem this summer.
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City short on water too; monsoon’s the only hope
NR Madhusudhan First Published : 19 Feb 2010 03:58:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 19 Feb 2010 09:15:48 AM IST
BANGALORE: Will it be a difficult summer for Bangaloreans this time? The answer is yes at least for the areas that were added to the city not long ago.
The situation is likely to improve only by the end of 2011 when the Cauvery IV stage II phase project is scheduled to be completed and the city will get an additional 500 million litres per day (MLD) and Cauvery water can be supplied to even the far flung areas.
The growing demand for water in the city and the depleting ground water levels are making the job of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) that much more difficult.
Apart from the mantra of judicious and equitable distribution to the different parts of the city, BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy stresses the need for all households to instal rainwater harvesting systems that was made mandatory recently.
Rainwater harvesting recharges groundwater, besides taking off the burden on BWSSB, he explains.
For the time being though, the areas on the outskirts will get their supply from the borewells. Before being merged with the city, these areas got their water supply from as many as 6,000 borewells.
To augment the supply, BWSSB got 1,536 new borewells sunk in 2008-09. It has got permission to sink 1,000 more this summer.
This time, BWSSB plans area-wise strategies to ensure equitable distribution of the available water. For this, it will be conducting division-level meetings.
On an average, the city consumes 1,200 MLD of water and BWSSB pitches in with 870 MLD, while the rest of the supply comes from private distribution agencies.
With the demand increasing substantially during summer and BWSSB having no additional water sources, it faces an unenviable task every summer.
BWSSB pumps water to the city from Torekadanahalli and Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoirs. Cauvery water is released from the Kabini reservoir to Shiva Anicut and from there it is diverted to Torekadanahalli, where it is treated.
From Torekadanahalli, the water is pumped to the city through the Harohalli and Tataguni pumping stations.
The water is then routed to the 48 ground level reservoirs (GLRs) in different parts of the city, before it makes its way to the households and other establishments.
“At present, we are getting 810 MLD of water from all the four stages of the Cauvery water project. Around 60 MLD of treated water is pumped to the city from TG Halli,” Ramamurthy said.
In addition to all these efforts, BWSSB will be hoping for early rains so that there is no major problem this summer.
feedback@expressbuzz.com
Reuters AlertNet - Rainwater harvesting helps ease water shortages in Bangalore
Reuters AlertNet - Rainwater harvesting helps ease water shortages in Bangalore
Rainwater harvesting helps ease water shortages in Bangalore
18 Feb 2010 13:22:00 GMT
Written by: AlertNet correspondent
Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley, has seen a huge increase in new construction in recent years, leading to worsening water shortages. REUTERS/Stringer
By Marianne de Nazareth
Marianne de Nazareth, who is based in Bangalore, India, is a freelance journalist with an interest in climate change issues.
BANGALORE, India (AlertNet) - With the population soaring in this capital of India's Silicon Valley, water is running out. As wide green gardens have been replaced with apartment blocks, boreholes have been running dry and many residents now buy their water on a daily basis from tanker trucks that creep through the city's notorious traffic.
But on the outskirts of the city, an innovative rainwater harvesting effort is recharging the area's depleted groundwater, suggesting how cities around the world might be able to ward off what some analysts fear will be increasing conflict over water shortages.
"With the population literally bursting out of the city's seams and water getting scarce, the need of the hour is to employ rainwater harvesting on a war footing," said Jeff D'Lemos, a retired engineer and rainwater harvesting specialist who is spearheading the project.
In Bangalore's Bellandur district, open fields have over the last three years been replaced with a sea of apartment blocks. Because city water lines don't yet run to the area, residents buy their water by the tanker truckload.
'NO WONDER ALL THE WELLS ARE DRY'
Residents used to draw water from wells. But now "each apartment block has 30 flats so we can look at an average of 120 people living in one building," D'Lemos said. If each person uses 100 litres per day, "no wonder all the bore wells around are going dry."
The solution may lie in rainwater harvesting, which has recently been made mandatory for all new housing construction in Bangalore, according to John Furtado, a city planner.
D'Lemos, who worked many years in the Middle East, is leading a push to gain acceptance of the technology in Bangalore by installing some of the early systems at prices just over cost.
He recently finished putting in place pipes to harvest the rainwater from the roof of one large private house in the district. The water discharges into a sump which is used to recharge the house's dry well.
"The geology of Bangalore's soil is clay on top, soft rock lower, medium rock below that and granite at the bottom," D'Lemos explains. "Therefore one cannot just dig shallow holes where the rain collects and expect that to replenish the water table. The clay soil prevents that. So, there are three options to harvest rain water," he said.
Rainwater can be collected off the roofs of houses and sent to fill an underground sump, or directed to recharge the borehole. A third option is to channelise the water into an open well, D'Lemos said.
From a rooftop area of 200 square meters, the house recently fitted with rainwater harvesting pipes should collect 16,000 liters of rainfall a year if Banglore sees average rainfall of a meter a year, D'Lemos said.
In a nearby apartment block, a water tanker unloads water for residents. They used to need to buy two tankers each day to survive, said Santosh Hebbar, one of the residents, at a cost of $700 a month.
COST OF BUYING WATER CUT BY HALF
"Now with Jeff setting up the rainwater harvesting system, in just a few days we have cut down buying two tankers to one ... In a matter of a few months all our investment in the system will be recovered," Hebbar said.
The project is so new, however, that it is still "very difficult to convince the residents about the efficacy of the project," he said.
He strongly supports making rainwater harvesting mandatory in India.
"In Detroit in the United States, which I just visited, in the Ford (Motors) plant all the roofs are covered with lawns which suck in the rain like sponges and the water is directed to a filtration system. The factory received a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) award for the effort," Hebbar said.
The rainwater harvesting systems are expected to ease pressure on the Bangalore Municipal Corporation, which has seen a huge volume of requests for new water supply connections as the city expands. The systems may also provide a means to help the southern Indian city cope with the more varied and intense rainfall that is expected as climate change takes hold.
D'Lemos hopes rainwater harvesting will take off in popularity after residents see the value of the early systems he has installed.
"I want to start a movement here in Bangalore, a self help movement, to educate people to help themselves," he said. Plentiful rain in Bangalore recently presents an opportunity "to capture that plenty and recharge the water table that we have been depleting for 40 years."
Reuters AlertNet is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Rainwater harvesting helps ease water shortages in Bangalore
18 Feb 2010 13:22:00 GMT
Written by: AlertNet correspondent
Bangalore, India's Silicon Valley, has seen a huge increase in new construction in recent years, leading to worsening water shortages. REUTERS/Stringer
By Marianne de Nazareth
Marianne de Nazareth, who is based in Bangalore, India, is a freelance journalist with an interest in climate change issues.
BANGALORE, India (AlertNet) - With the population soaring in this capital of India's Silicon Valley, water is running out. As wide green gardens have been replaced with apartment blocks, boreholes have been running dry and many residents now buy their water on a daily basis from tanker trucks that creep through the city's notorious traffic.
But on the outskirts of the city, an innovative rainwater harvesting effort is recharging the area's depleted groundwater, suggesting how cities around the world might be able to ward off what some analysts fear will be increasing conflict over water shortages.
"With the population literally bursting out of the city's seams and water getting scarce, the need of the hour is to employ rainwater harvesting on a war footing," said Jeff D'Lemos, a retired engineer and rainwater harvesting specialist who is spearheading the project.
In Bangalore's Bellandur district, open fields have over the last three years been replaced with a sea of apartment blocks. Because city water lines don't yet run to the area, residents buy their water by the tanker truckload.
'NO WONDER ALL THE WELLS ARE DRY'
Residents used to draw water from wells. But now "each apartment block has 30 flats so we can look at an average of 120 people living in one building," D'Lemos said. If each person uses 100 litres per day, "no wonder all the bore wells around are going dry."
The solution may lie in rainwater harvesting, which has recently been made mandatory for all new housing construction in Bangalore, according to John Furtado, a city planner.
D'Lemos, who worked many years in the Middle East, is leading a push to gain acceptance of the technology in Bangalore by installing some of the early systems at prices just over cost.
He recently finished putting in place pipes to harvest the rainwater from the roof of one large private house in the district. The water discharges into a sump which is used to recharge the house's dry well.
"The geology of Bangalore's soil is clay on top, soft rock lower, medium rock below that and granite at the bottom," D'Lemos explains. "Therefore one cannot just dig shallow holes where the rain collects and expect that to replenish the water table. The clay soil prevents that. So, there are three options to harvest rain water," he said.
Rainwater can be collected off the roofs of houses and sent to fill an underground sump, or directed to recharge the borehole. A third option is to channelise the water into an open well, D'Lemos said.
From a rooftop area of 200 square meters, the house recently fitted with rainwater harvesting pipes should collect 16,000 liters of rainfall a year if Banglore sees average rainfall of a meter a year, D'Lemos said.
In a nearby apartment block, a water tanker unloads water for residents. They used to need to buy two tankers each day to survive, said Santosh Hebbar, one of the residents, at a cost of $700 a month.
COST OF BUYING WATER CUT BY HALF
"Now with Jeff setting up the rainwater harvesting system, in just a few days we have cut down buying two tankers to one ... In a matter of a few months all our investment in the system will be recovered," Hebbar said.
The project is so new, however, that it is still "very difficult to convince the residents about the efficacy of the project," he said.
He strongly supports making rainwater harvesting mandatory in India.
"In Detroit in the United States, which I just visited, in the Ford (Motors) plant all the roofs are covered with lawns which suck in the rain like sponges and the water is directed to a filtration system. The factory received a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) award for the effort," Hebbar said.
The rainwater harvesting systems are expected to ease pressure on the Bangalore Municipal Corporation, which has seen a huge volume of requests for new water supply connections as the city expands. The systems may also provide a means to help the southern Indian city cope with the more varied and intense rainfall that is expected as climate change takes hold.
D'Lemos hopes rainwater harvesting will take off in popularity after residents see the value of the early systems he has installed.
"I want to start a movement here in Bangalore, a self help movement, to educate people to help themselves," he said. Plentiful rain in Bangalore recently presents an opportunity "to capture that plenty and recharge the water table that we have been depleting for 40 years."
Reuters AlertNet is not responsible for the content of external websites.
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