Mekedatu water for Cauvery stage V project

 The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has planned to draw water from Mekedatu in Kanakapura taluk, Ramanagara district, for the proposed Cauvery stage V project.

After Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in December 10 tmcft of Cauvery water annually to Bangalore from the 17.64 tmcft of unallocated water from Karnataka’s share, the BWSSB has now framed the initial salient features to draw at least 750 million litres per day (MLD) to the City. 

The BWSSB plans to draw water in three stages from Mekedatu to Uyyamballi, via Satnur and Tataguni. The project is estimated to cost Rs 2,248 crore, for which the Board has been asked to prepare a detailed project report, sources in the BWSSB told Deccan Herald.

According to the plan, water will be pumped to a height of 400 metres to Uyyamballi, 11 km from Mekedatu. The BWSSB plans to build pumping stations, water treatment plant and clean water reservoir of 24 MLD capacity at Uyyamballi.

From Uyyamballi, for a distance of 60 km, water will flow through gravity till Tataguni via Satnur. At Tataguni, clean water tanks will be constructed from where water would be supplied to the City.

Sources said the BWSSB is planning to build two or three balancing reservoirs to store at least 6 tmcft of water. These reservoirs will be used mainly as storage tanks in summer. According to an official, of the 10 tmcft, only 8 tmcft has been allocated to the City, and the remaining to Suryanagar, Anekal and surrounding villages in Bangalore Urban district. 

The project will be taken up in a phased manner. In Phase I, infrastructure will be created for drawing 500 MLD and in Phase II the project will be extended to draw another 250 MLD of water.

Cauvery stage V will cater mainly to the 110 villages added to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike in 2007. Though there are several reservoirs in these areas, residents do not receive Cauvery water.