<p>Amid the demand for tertiary treatment of wastewater being pumped out to fill tanks in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and surrounding districts, a recent analysis by Paani, a Bengaluru-based citizen think tank advocating for the river and wildlife of Cauvery Basin, has revealed that the secondary treatment by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is also not up to the mark.</p>.<p>According to an analysis of the hourly data collected through online monitoring of five STPs that supply water to the tanks in the surrounding districts, in a span of seven months, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) breached acceptable levels at least 1,401 times and the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) was above the normal levels nearly 1,060 times. While Kolar receives close to 350 MLD, Chikkaballapura receives 150 MLD, and Anekal is supplied with 50-60 MLD.</p>.<p>The report, however, pointed out that the bigger problem was that two STPs were not recording the data and the frequency of data in the other STPs was also low, indicating the poor monitoring of water quality.</p>.<p>“We definitely advocate for reuse of water. That is the way ahead. The government and the local bodies need to take people into confidence by publishing data and treating the water according to standards, ” said Nirmala Gowda, co-founder and curator at Paani.</p>.<p>While similar problems exist in other STPs as well, it is important to monitor the water quality from these STPs particularly, since the water is being pumped to fill up the tanks, said Anjaneya Reddy, President of Shashwatha Neeravari Horata Samithi.</p>.<p>“The districts that receive treated water are predominantly dependent on groundwater and the treated water has a direct impact on the groundwater quality in these districts. It will also affect the health of people and, the quality of crops grown here,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that many lakes that received this water were stinking and there were clear signs of pollution. </p>.<p>Gowda urged that the BWSSB maintain transparency.</p>.<p>“Let aside tertiary treatment, BWSSB officials themselves accept that they have taken up secondary treatment and they should at least stick to it. Their own data shows their failure to treat water to the secondary treatment standards,” she said. </p>
<p>Amid the demand for tertiary treatment of wastewater being pumped out to fill tanks in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, and surrounding districts, a recent analysis by Paani, a Bengaluru-based citizen think tank advocating for the river and wildlife of Cauvery Basin, has revealed that the secondary treatment by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is also not up to the mark.</p>.<p>According to an analysis of the hourly data collected through online monitoring of five STPs that supply water to the tanks in the surrounding districts, in a span of seven months, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) breached acceptable levels at least 1,401 times and the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) was above the normal levels nearly 1,060 times. While Kolar receives close to 350 MLD, Chikkaballapura receives 150 MLD, and Anekal is supplied with 50-60 MLD.</p>.<p>The report, however, pointed out that the bigger problem was that two STPs were not recording the data and the frequency of data in the other STPs was also low, indicating the poor monitoring of water quality.</p>.<p>“We definitely advocate for reuse of water. That is the way ahead. The government and the local bodies need to take people into confidence by publishing data and treating the water according to standards, ” said Nirmala Gowda, co-founder and curator at Paani.</p>.<p>While similar problems exist in other STPs as well, it is important to monitor the water quality from these STPs particularly, since the water is being pumped to fill up the tanks, said Anjaneya Reddy, President of Shashwatha Neeravari Horata Samithi.</p>.<p>“The districts that receive treated water are predominantly dependent on groundwater and the treated water has a direct impact on the groundwater quality in these districts. It will also affect the health of people and, the quality of crops grown here,” he said.</p>.<p>He added that many lakes that received this water were stinking and there were clear signs of pollution. </p>.<p>Gowda urged that the BWSSB maintain transparency.</p>.<p>“Let aside tertiary treatment, BWSSB officials themselves accept that they have taken up secondary treatment and they should at least stick to it. Their own data shows their failure to treat water to the secondary treatment standards,” she said. </p>