BWSSB to spend Rs 750 cr on replacing old pipelines

The project aims to reduce water loss from 36 to 16 per cent

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will spend Rs 750 crore on replacing old pipelines in northern, eastern and southeastern parts of the City.

Speaking at a curtain raiser on ‘Water Loss Conference’ hosted by International Water Association here on Friday, S Krishnappa, BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief, said that the board would call tenders for the job in about a month. The project, which aims to reduce water loss from 36 per cent to 16 per cent, is expected to be completed in three years. The BWSSB has spent Rs 700 crore on replacing old pipelines in the core areas of the City.

“We will arrange funds from the State government, the Karnataka Urban Water Supply Drainage Board (KUWSDB) and the BWSSB,” Krishnappa said. The replacement of pipes will be taken up in Whitefield, Yeshwantpur, Koramangala, Austin Town, Hebbal and Yelahanka. The board had awarded a similar project in southern, central and western parts of the City to L&T Construction after a tender process. The contractors were able to reduce water loss from 48 per cent to 36 per cent and are working to bring it to 16 per cent target, Krishnappa said.

The BWSSB will deposit Rs 32 lakh with the BBMP to finish work which was left incomplete by the former in Mahadevapura-Whitefield area. Srinivas Reddy, Chairman, Indian Water Works Association, said that 50 countries will be part of a conference on water loss to be held from January 31 to February 3, 2016 in the City. “We have been privileged to host it, which was earlier hosted by six foreign countries. This conference will help in creating awareness in India of the importance of water,” he added.