BENGALURU: If everything goes well, water quality in the city lakes might just improve. Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) is calling for ‘Expression of Interest’ from private agencies, who have expertise in improving the quality of water bodies.
With the city’s two big lakes -- Bellandur and Varthur in critical state, conserving lakes has become a major concern. Speaking to Express, Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Mahendra Jain, said that BDA will call for EOI soon from private agencies who have expertise in improving water quality.
“We will check the feasibility of various methods proposed by them and it will then be implemented to clean the lakes,’’ he said.
Sources in the Urban Development Department said that to begin with, they will implement whatever feasible methods in Bellandur and Varthur lakes, which need urgent attention. Later, it can be extended to other lakes of Bengaluru.
On the status of Bellandur and Varthur lakes, Jain said the city’s 500 MLD of sewage flows into these two lakes. The inflow contains phosphoric chemicals found in detergent.
When it rains, the inflow into the lake increase and thus froth is generated. This is a serious issue.
At present, there is one sewage treatment plant, which can treat 250 MLD of sewage. Another sewage treatment plant to treat 150 MLD of sewage water is under construction. It is expected to be completed by May or June 2017.
It will take two years to eradicate froth Mahendra Jain said they have many short-term measures to reduce frothing. But the longest and permanent solution is treating all sewage water. The civic agencies are not able to treat the remaining 100 MLD of sewage water.
“We are not able to get funds and space is also a constraint. If we get it now, it will take a minimum two years to set up a 100 MLD capacity STP,’’ he added.