Treated sewage for dry districts

Even as work on weeding Bellandur lake has started, the government has entrusted the minor irrigation department with the task to flow the treated sewage water from Bellandur lake to Kolar and Chikkaballapur.

“Work on this has already started. BWSSB will complete the installation of a 60-MLD STP by the end of April and a 90 MLD STP by July. We are also laying pipelines. Once the STPs are completed and pipelines laid, work on pumping treated water from Bellandur lake to Kolar and Chikkaballapur via Narasapura tank will start. The whole project will be commissioned by 2018,” a department engineer said.

The department will lay 124-km pipelines to supply treated sewage. The project costs Rs 1,340 crore. But, members of the lake expert committee are not happy with the proposal.

“The idea of supplying water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur is to recharge groundwater there. What about Bengaluru? The groundwater level in Bengaluru too has depleted. Treated water should be used to meet the drinking water needs of surrounding areas,” said a member.

Another member said the government could instead create another tank at half the cost, instead of pumping the water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur.