BENGALURU: Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Friday said the entire Bengaluru Urban district has been brought under Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
A notification in this regard was issued on September 24.
The minister held a meeting with officials of BWSSB, Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) and Minor Irrigation Department on addressing urban infrastructure issues outside GBA.
BWSSB has been instructed to assess the demand for drinking water beyond the next 10 years. The plan should focus on water storage, treatment plants and distribution networks. Along with that a blueprint will be prepared for underground sewage disposal.
This will cover phased establishment of sewage networks and sewage treatment plants. A combined master plan will be prepared for the district outside GBA. Implementation will be in a phased manner matching the actual urban expansion, he said. Byre Gowda said it will be a challenge to provide the assured drinking water.
Till such time, dependence on groundwater will continue. Currently, more than 90% of water requirement is met from groundwater sources. This dependence will continue for some time. This will affect the groundwater level. To achieve water security in the immediate future, the focus will be on restoring and improving groundwater levels. Historically, lakes have played a big role in maintaining groundwater levels.
Because of over exploitation of groundwater for drinking purposes, an external intervention is needed to restore such sources. Lakes have to be filled to help improve groundwater levels, he said. The Minor Irrigation Department was instructed to prepare plans to tap treated waste water and use it to fill lakes in GBA limits.
