‘Rainwater harvesting can meet over 70% of Bengaluru’s water needs’

Bengaluru needs about 18 TMC of water, and over 70% of this need can be met with just proper rainwater harvesting.

Bengaluru: Bengaluru needs about 18 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water, and over 70% of this need can be met with just proper rainwater harvesting, said T V Ramachandra, coordinator, energy and wetland research group at the Indian Institute of Science (Bengaluru).

He was speaking after addressing a forum organised by the Karnataka Nela Jala Samrakshana Samithi and the Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi seeking solutions for the drinking water crisis at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday.

Ramachandra presented rainwater harvesting and sewage treatment as both immediate and long-term solutions to prevent water crisis in the future.

“Rainwater harvesting can, by itself, provide 15 TMC of water. Additionally, the city generates about 18 TMC of wastewater each year, of which we can obtain 16 TMC after treatment. This gives us a surplus to refill lakes and rejuvenate the groundwater table,” he told DH.

In his speech at the forum, he highlighted that the city had nearly 1,562 lakes and other small water bodies during its founding, which has now reduced to about 193 lakes because of rampant real estate growth. This has led to the water crisis in the city, he said.

Kurubur Shanthakumar, state president of a coalition of farmers’ organisations, highlighted that the DMK party’s manifesto opposing the Mekedatu project was reprehensible in light of the crisis faced by the city and urged the election commission to take strict action against such a decision that is “inciting the state’s people”.

“During such a crisis, farmers must also change sowing patterns and use waste water treatment techniques,” he said.

P C Rao, president, Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, noted that over 30,000 hotels in the city distribute free drinking water to nearly 50 lakh customers every day. “To save at least 20 litres each day in each hotel, we have instructed hotels to place only empty glasses and a jug of drinking water on tables, instead of pre-filled glasses of water that might go to waste if customers don’t consume them,” he said.

Wooday P Krishna, president, Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, emphasised the need to educate school children about effective water usage, while actor-politician Mukhyamantri Chandru noted that the BWSSB needed to do better to provide clarity to the city’s residents about using treated water.