'T G Halli reservoir will dry up by 2016'

Delivering a talk on ‘Indirect water use to augment flow into T G Halli’ at a programme organised by The Institution of Engineers on Tuesday, Dr R Venkatraman, retired Civil Engineer of the Department of Space, suggested: “Indirect water reuse which refers to mixing recycled water with abundant natural fresh surface water or groundwater could augment water to the reservoir.” This mixed water can be exposed to natural and environmental cleaning action before supplying it to potable water supply systems. Recycled water could be pumped into the Arkavathy river, he suggested.

Presenting statistics on the water requirements for the City, he said that the booming population would result in a shortage of 220 Million Litres Per Day (MLD) by 2015. “The shortfall would increase to 1,050 MLD by 2036. There is no possibility of taking in any more water from the Cauvery after 2015,” he said. The 344 tanks within the catchment area need to be cleaned and exploitation of groundwater in catchment areas need to be stopped, Venkatraman said.