Amidst the acute water shortage, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has announced plans to assume control of borewells at construction sites, replacing groundwater with treated water. Dr. V Ram Prasath Manohar, Chairman of BWSSB, informed Moneycontrol that construction sites demand significant amounts of water. Previously, treated water usage in construction was not adequately monitored, especially when groundwater resources were plentiful.
During a meeting with major builders in the city, Manohar emphasised the mandatory use of recycled and environmentally friendly water for construction purposes, especially for buildings above 20,000 sq ft.
He said that they have already communicated with 338 major builders in the city. “Builders were drilling borewells and using the water, which belongs to us. Our plan now is to take control of these borewells. We have proposed providing secondary and tertiary treated water for construction activities. We plan to negotiate a consensus to utilise borewells at construction sites for domestic purposes during this crisis situation,” he said.
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Bangalore: Water supply reduced by 20%
Manohar said they have decided to cut water supply to bulk customers by 20% from March 15 due to the ongoing crisis.
He highlighted the need for cooperation from the city’s bulk consumers which is around 3 lakh.
He instructed institutions with more water connections, such as railways, HAL, Air Force, Defence, CRPF, Biocon, Nimhans, Victoria Hospital, and others, to raise awareness about water conservation on their premises.
According to a report by Water, Environment, Land and Livelihoods (WELL) Labs associated with IFMR-Krea University, “In addition to the 1,460 MLD of Cauvery water, Bengaluru currently consumes an estimated 1,372 MLD of groundwater.” The current demand is 2,632 MLD, with the main consumers being residents (72 percent), commercial establishments (8 percent), the industrial sector (17 percent), and the construction sector (2-3 percent).
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