KSPCB, BBMP moot plan to supply parks with excess treated water

The two bodies have jointly identified the Mahatma Gandhi Park (adjacent to M Chinnaswamy Stadium) on MG Road for a pilot project to use the excess water

Amid reports that apartments and commercial units are releasing excess treated water into stormwater drains, the state pollution control body has plans to use it for secondary purposes.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) intends to launch an app-based system to link apartments/commercial complexes and hotels that generate excess treated water that could be used for secondary activities.

A release said the KSPCB and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have jointly identified the Mahatma Gandhi Park (adjacent to M Chinnaswamy Stadium) on MG Road for a pilot project to use the excess water.

“The park is linked to the HM Tropic Trees Apartment and will be maintained by using the treated water generated at the apartment complex,” a release from the KSPCB said. The board also intends to conduct a pilot study to bridge the demand for water and excess treated water.

“The BBMP has about 1,035 parks spread over 38,78,437.875 sq meters. Collectively, the area requires about 19,392 KLD of water suggesting a minimum of 5 litres of water per square metre of garden area. This apart, the BBMP has 8,550 borewells in various locations. It will be meaningful if we make use of the available treated water so that we can save precious groundwater,” another KSPCB official said.

The KSPCB has also introduced a colour-coding system to help people and organisations identify the tankers.

“The colour coding and specified branding will be made familiar (to citizens) so that these tankers are not used to carry freshwater meant for human consumption,” a KSPCB official said.

2020 notification

A central government notification in September 2020 banned the use of freshwater in tertiary activities like gardening and washing pavements or parks. It has also banned extracting groundwater for these purposes.