<p>Bengaluru: The recent water tariff revision in the city has helped Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) improve its finances with close to Rs 500 crore increase in revenue annually. However, this will only help BWSSB meet its regular operations and maintenance costs for now. To achieve financial stability in the long run, it is crucial for the board to look at new revenue sources, and now the BWSSB has chalked out a plan for the same.</p>.<p>BWSSB Chairman Dr Ramprasat Manohar V said that new sources of revenue were crucial to ensure that the utility is sustainable.</p>.<p>“For a public utility like BWSSB, it is crucial to look at other forms of revenue since tariffs cannot be hiked beyond a certain limit considering that water is a basic necessity. Diversification of revenue forms will only ensure sustainability and financial stability,” he explained.</p>.<p>Among the major plans to improve revenue are production and sale of Compressed Biogas (CBG) through sewage treatment plants (STP), sale of sludge as manure, and the sale of treated water.</p>.<p>As a first step, BWSSB has prepared a blueprint to enable production and sale of CBG under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.</p>.BBMP orders BWSSB to fast-track drainage project in HAL 2nd Stage.<p>“There is growing demand for Compressed Biogas (CBG) as a clean fuel, with large energy companies actively procuring it under long-term off take arrangements. That apart, there is internal demand from STPs themselves for power and heat, which biogas can supplement,” a senior BWSSB official explained.</p>.<p>Manohar noted that such projects are also important since they support sustainable wastewater management in the city.</p>.<p>“With environmental regulations tightening and a need for circular economy solutions, the project is highly relevant for improving resource recovery, optimizing operational costs, enhancing revenue potential, and ensuring sustainable wastewater management in Bengaluru,” he said.</p>.<p>That apart, the BWSSB is also looking at ways as to how sludge could be marketed.</p>.<p>“We are sun-drying the sludge and looking at how it can be marketed. It is a very good source of nutrients for the soil and can be used as manure,” yet another official explained.</p>.<p>BWSSB’s recent initiative to supply Cauvery water in tankers can also be seen as a new revenue stream. However, BWSSB is yet to crack the market for treated water. While the demand for treated water increased significantly last summer owing to the water crisis, the demand did not last long.</p>.<p>“We are trying our best to improve the demand. But the use of treated water needs a shift in the mindset of people. We have taken the first few steps and are confident that more and more people will come forward to buy treated water in the near future,” an official noted.</p>.<p>Apart from this, to improve financial stability, the BWSSB is also looking at bringing down production costs by using green energy during operations.</p>.<p>“Use of solar energy could help bring down the cost of electricity which is one of the major expenditures for BWSSB,” Manohar said.</p>.<p>At present, electricity costs account for nearly 70% of BWSSB’s monthly expenses, and using green energy to fuel operations could help BWSSB bring down these expenses drastically.</p>.<p>Highlights - New revenue streams Production and sales of Compressed Biogas (CBG) to oil and gas companies or other industries Power generation from biogas, with revenue from grid sales. Sale of digested sludge for agricultural, landscaping, or construction purposes. Sale of treated water</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Need for strategic partnerships While Compressed Biogas (CBG) and sale of sludge as manure could be potential revenue streams they have a limited potential and hence there is a need for BWSSB to look at some major strategic partnerships suggested Vishwanath S water conservationist. For instance BWSSB has entered into partnership with BEL and this is working out well he cited. “BEL has helped the BWSSB with close to Rs 13.5 crore to run the STP at Doddabommasandra lake. Of the 10 MLD treated water eight MLD is let into the lake and two MLD is supplied to BEL. With just two MLD BEL has been able to recover its investment in three-four years. BWSSB should work towards building such partnerships” he suggested. While noting that diversification of revenue streams for BWSSB is crucial Vishwanath also opined that it is important to work aggressively towards sale of treated water. “Unless pipelines are laid and high quality water is supplied the treated water market will not pick up” he opined.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The recent water tariff revision in the city has helped Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) improve its finances with close to Rs 500 crore increase in revenue annually. However, this will only help BWSSB meet its regular operations and maintenance costs for now. To achieve financial stability in the long run, it is crucial for the board to look at new revenue sources, and now the BWSSB has chalked out a plan for the same.</p>.<p>BWSSB Chairman Dr Ramprasat Manohar V said that new sources of revenue were crucial to ensure that the utility is sustainable.</p>.<p>“For a public utility like BWSSB, it is crucial to look at other forms of revenue since tariffs cannot be hiked beyond a certain limit considering that water is a basic necessity. Diversification of revenue forms will only ensure sustainability and financial stability,” he explained.</p>.<p>Among the major plans to improve revenue are production and sale of Compressed Biogas (CBG) through sewage treatment plants (STP), sale of sludge as manure, and the sale of treated water.</p>.<p>As a first step, BWSSB has prepared a blueprint to enable production and sale of CBG under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.</p>.BBMP orders BWSSB to fast-track drainage project in HAL 2nd Stage.<p>“There is growing demand for Compressed Biogas (CBG) as a clean fuel, with large energy companies actively procuring it under long-term off take arrangements. That apart, there is internal demand from STPs themselves for power and heat, which biogas can supplement,” a senior BWSSB official explained.</p>.<p>Manohar noted that such projects are also important since they support sustainable wastewater management in the city.</p>.<p>“With environmental regulations tightening and a need for circular economy solutions, the project is highly relevant for improving resource recovery, optimizing operational costs, enhancing revenue potential, and ensuring sustainable wastewater management in Bengaluru,” he said.</p>.<p>That apart, the BWSSB is also looking at ways as to how sludge could be marketed.</p>.<p>“We are sun-drying the sludge and looking at how it can be marketed. It is a very good source of nutrients for the soil and can be used as manure,” yet another official explained.</p>.<p>BWSSB’s recent initiative to supply Cauvery water in tankers can also be seen as a new revenue stream. However, BWSSB is yet to crack the market for treated water. While the demand for treated water increased significantly last summer owing to the water crisis, the demand did not last long.</p>.<p>“We are trying our best to improve the demand. But the use of treated water needs a shift in the mindset of people. We have taken the first few steps and are confident that more and more people will come forward to buy treated water in the near future,” an official noted.</p>.<p>Apart from this, to improve financial stability, the BWSSB is also looking at bringing down production costs by using green energy during operations.</p>.<p>“Use of solar energy could help bring down the cost of electricity which is one of the major expenditures for BWSSB,” Manohar said.</p>.<p>At present, electricity costs account for nearly 70% of BWSSB’s monthly expenses, and using green energy to fuel operations could help BWSSB bring down these expenses drastically.</p>.<p>Highlights - New revenue streams Production and sales of Compressed Biogas (CBG) to oil and gas companies or other industries Power generation from biogas, with revenue from grid sales. Sale of digested sludge for agricultural, landscaping, or construction purposes. Sale of treated water</p>.<p>Cut-off box - Need for strategic partnerships While Compressed Biogas (CBG) and sale of sludge as manure could be potential revenue streams they have a limited potential and hence there is a need for BWSSB to look at some major strategic partnerships suggested Vishwanath S water conservationist. For instance BWSSB has entered into partnership with BEL and this is working out well he cited. “BEL has helped the BWSSB with close to Rs 13.5 crore to run the STP at Doddabommasandra lake. Of the 10 MLD treated water eight MLD is let into the lake and two MLD is supplied to BEL. With just two MLD BEL has been able to recover its investment in three-four years. BWSSB should work towards building such partnerships” he suggested. While noting that diversification of revenue streams for BWSSB is crucial Vishwanath also opined that it is important to work aggressively towards sale of treated water. “Unless pipelines are laid and high quality water is supplied the treated water market will not pick up” he opined.</p>