BWSSB vows to restore 128-year-old Soladevanahalli pumping station by April 20

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has committed to restoring the city’s inaugural pump station, built in 1896 in Soladevanahalli, by April 20.

The historic pump station will supply 0.3 TMC water from Hesaraghatta lake.

Bengaluru was the second city to develop an organised water supply system in India. In 1873, the city began supplying water through a network of lakes known as ‘Miller’s Tanks’. During the Great Famine of 1857-77, major water resources dried up for nearly two-and-a-half years due to a lack of rain.

K Seshadri Iyer, the then Diwan of the Kingdom of Mysore, first conceived the idea of channelling water from the Arkavathi river through Hesaraghatta lake. This project was named ‘Chamarajendra Water Works’.

“Currently, there is about 0.3 TMC water available in Hesaraghatta lake,” noted BWSSB chairman Ramprasat Manohar V, explaining that the strategy, which involves treating the water at the Soladevanahalli pumping station and then transferring it to the reservoir located in MEI Layout.

“From there, water will be supplied via tankers,” Manohar explained, assuring that all necessary arrangements will be made to restore the 128-year-old pumping station by April 20.