BENGALURU: Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) chairman V Ram Prasath Manohar has said that the board is contemplating introducing a community rainwater harvesting project to fill lakes and help recharge groundwater in the city.
The board has plans to implement the project in Varthur and Bellandur areas in the first phase.
Manohar said the aim of the project is to channel rainwater, which is being wasted, into the lakes. “We are planning to lay pipes from apartments, and public and private buildings located within a radius of 500 metres from the lakes to release rainwater into them under the project. This will help in filling the lakes with rainwater and recharging groundwater,” Manohar said.
BBMP chief holds meet on water woes
The BWSSB chairman said though rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory in the city, this rule is not being implemented effectively due to negligence and for want of space.
“In many places, rainwater harvesting systems are installed only to get permission for new buildings. Rainwater is being let into drainages. Due to this, the city sees flood-like situations whenever it receives heavy rains. To prevent this and to ensure that water is not wasted, the board has come up with the project,” Manohar said.
Meanwhile, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath held a meeting with officials of Yelahanka and Dasarahalli zones on shortage of drinking water there. He instructed the officials to coordinate with their counterparts in BWSSB and help ease the problem in the two zones.
He directed the officials to ensure that the drinking water units installed in the zones function properly. He told them to make alternative arrangements if the units are not working.
Girinath asked them to keep plastic tanks filled with water in the affected places in the two zones.