'Cauvery Stage V project will be partially commissioned by May-end'

Bengaluru: Bengaluru is witnessing one of the worst water crises in recent history. However, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was quick to implement a slew of measures to tackle the situation. From banning the use of potable water for construction, cleaning, and gardening to reducing the water supply by 20 per cent for bulk consumers, the BWSSB has been exploring all possible ways to keep the crisis at bay.

BWSSB Chairman Ramprasat Manohar V spoke to DH about the results of these measures, the challenges of handling such a crisis, and how the BWSSB plans to prevent such situations in the future.

Excerpts:

You introduced a slew of measures over the last month. Has it helped ease the situation?

The situation has definitely improved. Our initiative to supply water through tankers to slums and areas where there is an acute shortage, coupled with other measures ,has had a direct impact on their lives. This is evident in the number of complaints we have been receiving. In March, we used to receive close to 300 complaints of water shortage every day. Now, it has come down by nearly 80 per cent. We receive only close to 60 complaints a day. 

Many of the water-saving measures you introduced, such as the installation of aerators and preventing the use of potable water for gardening and cleaning, needed public support. How has the public responded to these measures? 

We spoke with many stakeholders and took them on board. Our aim has always been to ensure a smooth transition from a water-wasting mindset to a water-saving mindset. People have understood our goal and are supporting us. Close to 60% of taps in malls, industries, and commercial establishments now have an aerator and the other establishments are in the process of installing it. Majority of the construction companies are now using only treated water. This is evident in the demand we are seeing for treated water. Many households have also adopted water-saving measures. Overall, we see a positive response from people. 

While we are still navigating through the crisis, BWSSB has promised to make the city water-surplus by July 2026. What is the action plan to achieve this?

We have planned several long-term measures to achieve this. We want to put rainwater to better use and promote large-scale awareness on rainwater harvesting. Also, 40% of the city still depends on borewells, and the present crisis is largely due to defunct borewells that have failed owing to poor groundwater levels. Therefore, to improve the groundwater levels, we want to fill all 185 lakes in the city with treated water. We have already started work on filling 20 lakes, and we will implement the same in the other lakes soon. This will help improve groundwater levels significantly.

Residents of 110 villages in the city’s periphery have been waiting for Cauvery water since the Cauvery Stage V project was planned in 2017. When is it expected to be operational? 

Apart from these measures, we have also realised that the city produces close to 1,200 MLD of treated water, which is going to waste. We have started promoting the use of treated water for non-potable purposes and, over the last month, we have seen the demand increase drastically. The use of treated water will bring down the dependency on Cauvery water and borewells significantly, and this will help us move towards water security. To make this sustainable, we want to establish a network of treated water pipelines so that industries and construction sites have a permanent supply of treated water. This way, we can narrow down the gap between demand and supply.

DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V

We have expedited the project and are confident of completing it by May-end. There were a few bottlenecks in ensuring last-mile connectivity, and we have resolved them now. By May-end, we will commission the project partially and, the remaining areas, we should be able to complete by June end.

We will consult our financial team and legal team to understand the consequences of the judgement. While we respect the court and its order, we still have an option to file an appeal. Based on the discussions with our team, we will decide the way forward. 

The high court recently said that the collection of Beneficiaries Contribution Charges (BCC) and Greater Bangalore Water Sewerage project (GBWASP) charges were illegal. What will be the financial impact of this on the board?

The water demand in the city is only going to increase in the coming days. What is your long-term plan?

We are planning to take up the Cauvery Stage VI project that will bring an additional six TMC Cauvery water to Bengaluru. This is expected to meet our demand till 2040. However, it is important to note that unless we promote judicious use of water, any amount of additional water will not help meet the demands. Hence, I am confident that our present strategy to promote savings among people, a push to use treated water, and plans to recharge groundwater, will help us meet any increase in demand for water.

BWSSB’s actions against water crisis Ban on use of potable water for construction gardening vehicle wash 20% water supply cut for bulk users Ban on swimming pools Aerator installation made mandatory in commercial buildings  No borewell drilling without permission Price cap on water tankers   Push for use of treated water for construction Lakes to be filled with treated water 

Expected savings Bulk users (who consume over 10 lakh litres a month): 20 per cent cut to free up close to 100 MLD Bulk users (who consume between 1 lakh litres to 10 lakh litres a month): Adoption of water saving techniques such as aerators to free up close to 140 MLD