Kundanahalli lake to get effluent treatment system under CSR funds

Cost-intensive conventional sewage treatment plants have often stopped civic agencies from investing in treating effluents entering lakes.

Now, the lake division of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in association with some private players has come out with a cost-effective natural osmosis technique to filter sewage. Using the corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds, the BBMP is introducing Decentralised Treatment System (DTS) at the Kundanahalli lake near Whitefield.

Like many other lakes in the city, the Kundanahalli lake has also turned into to a big septic tank due to the perennially flowing sewage. Illegal dumping of debris and garbage that is rampant on the tank bund, has compounded the problem.

With these challenges, the BBMP took up the lake rejuvenation work with the help of a non-government organisation, United Way Bengaluru. The NGO has revived some of the lakes using CSR funds.

Now, it has taken up the rejuvenation of Kundanahalli lake with the help of Qualcomm, an IT company based out of Whitefield. The NGO in consultation with the BBMP has entrusted Eco Paradigm to build the DTS.

What is DTS?
Eco Paradigm CEO Pravinjith said the DTS has five modules – settler, fluidised bed reactor, fixed film reactor, wetland and pond. The Kundanahalli lake has two inlets and hence, the firm has taken up the work in a phased manner. The firm is setting up the DTS at the first inlet from where maximum amount of effluents flow into the lake. In the second phase, sewage from the other inlet will be addressed.

Pravinjith said the DTS presently under construction will have 10 sequences comprising 50 chambers. Sewage will pass through these sequences before entering the lake. While passing through different chambers, water gets treated naturally unlike in the conventional sewage treatment plant which consumes too much of electricity.

Using the same model, the BBMP is planning to rejuvenate Kammagondanahalli lake near Jalahalli, Saulkere, Kempambudhi lake, Dodda Kannahalli lake, Amalipura lake, Parappana Agrahara lake, Munekolalu lake, Chinnappanahalli lake and Kudlu Chikka Kere.

A senior executive from Qualcomm said there are many challenges in taking up the rejuvenation of the Kundanahalli lake. “Once the sewage treatment plants are set up and water starts entering the lake, the task will be to monitor the water quality. We are also worried about the dumping of debris next to the lake and expect the government agencies to look into it,” he added.