BWSSB to deploy AI-based tools to identify illegal connections in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: To identify and crack down on illegal Cauvery water and Underground Drainage (UGD) connections, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is planning to deploy Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. 

Speaking to DH, BWSSB chairman Ramprasat Manohar V said that there are multiple databases available with various civic agencies and they would be used to analyse the possible illegal connections in the city.

“For instance, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has details of all the khatas in the city and there are details on power connections given by the Bescom. We can use this to extrapolate and identify illegal connections,” he said.

Any property with a valid khatha and a power connection but no water connection is suspected to have an illegal connection and the BWSSB will initiate action against them.

“In such cases, there is a high possibility that the house is probably drawing out water from our pipeline without taking a legal connection since it is impossible to depend on borewell water completely. However, in a few cases, our analysis might go wrong. Our officials on ground can verify it,” a senior BWSSB official explained.

The BWSSB had issued a public notice asking the citizens to voluntarily disclose and regularise any illegal connections. However, according to sources, not many have come forward to disclose. 

The move will help bring more connections into the revenue net and also bring down the Unaccounted for Water (UfW). At present, close to 28% of the water Bengaluru receives is unaccounted and this is due to illegal connections and wastage owing to pipeline leaks. While BWSSB has taken up a number of projects to bring down the UfW through leakages, identifying and regularising illegal connections also plays a key role in bringing down UfW.

Cut-off box - Blue force on ground 
The BWSSB will also constitute a four-member team called the ‘blue force’ in each subdivision to crack down on illegal connections. Each team will consist one ex-serviceman along with three BWSSB officials. While the officials at the headquarters will try to detect illegal connections through AI-based tools the ‘blue force’ will work on the ground and try to detect and prevent illegal connections through regular inspections.