According to a collaborative study by the Indian Academy of Sciences Water and Sewer Committee (IISC-BWSSB), groundwater tables in suburban areas of the city have dropped at least 10 to 15 meters this year, and the situation may worsen during the months before the March and April and April monsoons. This triggered a recent ban on the use of drinking water for non-essential activities as the city prepares for a hot summer.
The ban is immediately in effect, prohibiting the use of drinking water for gardening, car washes, swimming pools and construction. The BWSSB said violators will face a fine of Rs 5,000, an additional Rs 500 per day for crimes. In the BWSSB ban, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) recently announced that it will use non-meal water in all parks across the city.
The BBMP chief announced that BBMP plans to obtain treated sewage from BWSSB to maintain its 1,280 parks throughout Bangalore. |Photo source: Sreenivasa Murthy v
Park water treatment
A few days ago, at a meeting at the BBMP headquarters, the BBMP chief announced that the BBMP plans to obtain treated sewage from the BWSSB to maintain 1,280 parks in Bangalore. Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath directed officials to submit reports on conditions for Borewell in the BBMP managed park and called for immediate water arrangements within the park, which partly worked or dried holes.
“As summer approaches, adequate water supply is crucial to maintaining parks, lakes and intermediate plantations. Officials are instructed to assess the exact water demand, as well as the earliest tanker count, and make the necessary arrangements at the earliest.”
Speech HinduChandrashekhar MR, deputy director of the BBMP Horticulture Department, said that BBMP is coordinating with the BWSSB to map the park to the nearest sewage treatment plant (STP) to effectively distribute water. “BWSSB has asked the BBMP’s horticultural department to evaluate the needs and we will report to them within a week. According to our report, the BWSSB will map the parks to STP and provide water. As of now, we have identified about 120 parks that need immediate attention and map to STP. However, we will have complete data on parks that need to be supervised within a week and connected to treated water.” Chandrashekhar added that, together with the parks, the treated water of STP will also be used to water the median on the road and on the sidewalk.
Rudraiah M., a regular walker with BTM layout park, said it was a clear move. “Last summer, we noticed that the parks around the area were very dry. Many residents of the area were short of water due to the dryness of Borewells. Watering the park was not even an option due to the shortage. Using treated water will help save water for human consumption and help groundwater levels,” he said.
But Raghu S., a Thalgatpura resident, warned that water must be treated correctly or may cause discomfort for regular walkers. “We used to use treated water in the garden area of the apartment for a long time. But the stench was really bad and we were forced to stop. This is because our STP can only treat sewage to a certain extent. The BBMP or BWSSB has to make sure the sewage is handled well,” he said.
Sushma Rao’s home garden uses water. |Picture source: Handout E-mail
What a home gardener does
When BBMP prepares to use treated water in water parks, home gardeners from all over the city say they have been using innovative methods and using the recycled water for the garden.
“We found an innovative way to use it for gardening and other purposes every day to repurpose about 600 liters of Ro wastewater, which has been sticking with since then,” said Rohini Ghose, secretary of the Kasturinagar Noble Apartment Association. “As an older apartment building, installing new pipes is not feasible, so we conducted a survey last summer and found that at least 70 of our 145 RO units could collectively produce about 10 liters of wastewater. To make collection easier, we provided residents with 10 liters of Jerry cans that they filled and kept in their homes. The water was then transferred to two 200 liter drums and a water hose for car washes, mops, gardening, and even swimming pools. We conducted a lab test to confirm that our water quality, including RO rejecting water, encountered standard standards, allowing us to safely integrate it into our daily needs, in addition to drinking and cooking,” she explained.
Sushma Rao, a resident of Poornapragna layout, said her family uses water for their garden. “When we wash away vegetables, fruits and non-thick cutlery without soap, we don’t let the water fall off the sink. Most of the water is collected in the bathtub and later used for watering plants in our garden. “The water used for cooking or boiling rice, lentils or vegetables is also collected in the same bathtub, which is also rich in nutrients and helps the plants grow better.” Sushma said her family also has a rainwater harvesting system with two tanks, which helps them restore groundwater levels year-round with little to no shortage in the summer.
Jayanagar resident Ananya Iyer shares how her family found a practical way to use non-meal water for their garden. “We have placed a bucket near the kitchen sink to collect water for rinsing vegetables, fruits and beans. Instead of letting it drain, store it in a large bucket and distribute it to our garden plants using a small pump,” she explained. Ananya added that they also collect RO rejection water in the drum, which is later diluted and used for watering, such as hardy plants such as shrubs and trees. “Cauvery water is only used in our homes for alcohol use.” These simple steps help us reduce waste and make our garden flourish without all dependence on fresh water. ” she said.
publishing – March 10, 2025 09:00 IS
