4. Innovative Water Conservation Practices in Bangalore

Bangalore has pushed for the implementation of several innovative strategies to increase retention of rainwater, wastewater, and halt the use of borewells. However, many of these plans fall by the wayside when regulation is spotty and fines become too small or unenforced (Parween, 2022). Below we will discuss some of the needed pushes for avoiding a Bangalore Day Zero.

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

The city of Bangalore is reaching a tipping point for its issues surrounding water scarcity, urban flooding, and the persistent problem of pollution as well. The novel idea of integrated water resources management (IWRM) ecompasses different social, environmental, and economic approaches to water management (Parween, 2022). Bangalore has struggled on all of these fronts in the past, and would benefit greatly from urgent implementation of regulations that cover:

Rainwater Harvesting- As of 2023, even with rainwater harvesting mandates for larger buildings over 30 x 40 feet, it is estimated only 10% of rainwater across the city is collected and used (Ramesh, 2023). Without education and regulation, many of the residents using these systems can end up pouring the water into storm drains after systems fill, thinking it is unsafe for household use. Many other buildings have resorted to just paying the city fines instead of installing systems of their own (Ramesh, 2023). In order to maximize effectiveness of RWH, educational initiatives are imperative as well as a community-based approach to rainwater collection, storage, and reuse.

Wastewater Recovery-The perception of wastewater recovery and reuse in Bangalore has not always been publicly favorable. In 2004, the city mandated buildings over a certain size begin to install their own wastewater treatment facilities to keep all water on-site and stop excess pollution of rivers from sewage dumping and overflow. Although a potentially viable solution to the city’s water crisis, decentralized wastewater treatment and creation of potable water has proved unsuccessful in the past due to bad public perception, high expenses, and lack of state regulation (Kuttuva et al, 2018). However, by ensuring public trust by creating better, uniform wastewater standards, the citizens of Bangalore will be more inclined to operate and maintain the systems successfully.

This video goes through how the decentralized treatment of wastewater has great environmental and economic benefits when implemented properly in Bengaluru.

Borewell Installation and Allowances

The continued use of unauthorized borewells in the city allows for unregulated groundwater depletion. Although the city requires permits for borewell drilling and installation, many residential buildings continue to drill due to lack of regulation and necessity. In March of this year, with the water shortage at its peak, the city’s water authority imposed a 2-month moratorium on drilling any wells in areas supplied by the Cauvery river; however, reports of illegal drilling still occurred throughout that time period (Aditya Bharadwaj, 2024) This complex issue is difficult to stop without legal action being taken against drilling operators, and will require monitoring from city officials to be of any use.

Restoration of Local Water Bodies

As was previously covered, the number of lakes (natural and manmade) in Bangalore has dropped precipitously since the 1970s. Many of the existing water bodies today face heavy pollution and are drying up quickly from overuse. Restoration efforts are underway for lakes across the city; however, oftentimes the pace of development is faster than restoration projects taking place. By revegetating, opening blocked channels previously filled with sediment and pollution, and excavating to create space for monsoon rains, lakes are able to be revitalized with government monetary and citizen support (Yasir, 2023).

Conclusion:

The city has miles to go with regard to innovation and strategies to avoid their consistent day-zero situation. Being the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is packed with innovators and technology to curb urban water problems. Continuous population growth and overdevelopment has worsened the water shortage issues in India and Bangalore, and it will take extreme public and private investment, innovation, and community participation to fix.

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References

Photo 1: Jahnavi, T.R. The Hindu. Https://thehindu.com.

Photo 2: Malligavad, A. (2023). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/world/asia/bengaluru-india-lake-reclamation.html

Photo 3: Ravichandran, P. (2023). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/world/asia/bengaluru-india-lake-reclamation.html

Video: WELL Labs. (2023). Visions for Wastewater Reuse in Bengaluru and Beyond. Youtube. Retrieved 2 Aug. 2024 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXQiVvRJMBE

Aditya Bharadwaj, K. (2024). BWSSB imposes three-month moratorium on new borewells in areas served by Cauvery. The Hindu. Retrieved 2 Aug, 2024 from https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bwssb-imposes-three-month-moratorium-on-new-borewells-in-areas-served-by-cauvery/article67984339.ece#:~:text=The%20Bangalore%20Water%20Supply%20and,unabated%20in%20the%20core%20city.

Kuttuva, P., Lele, S., & Mendez, G. V. (2018). Decentralized wastewater systems in Bengaluru, India: success or failure?. Water Economics and Policy, 4(02), 1650043.

Parween, M. (2022). Integrated Water Resource Management for Future Water Security. In Urban Ecology and Global Climate Change (eds R. Bhadouria, S. Upadhyay, S. Tripathi and P. Singh). https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.vt.edu/10.1002/9781119807216.ch4

Ramesh, S. (2023). Harvesting a hit, but B’luru lets 90% of rainwater go waste. Deccan Herald. Retreived 2 Aug 2024 from https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/bengaluru/harvesting-a-hit-but-bluru-lets-90-of-rainwater-go-waste-2709774

Yasir, S. (2023). India’s ‘Lake Man’ Relies on Ancient Methods to Ease a Water Crisis. The New York Times. Retrieved 2 Aug 2024 from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/22/world/asia/bengaluru-india-lake-reclamation.html