Unified approach key to solving Bengaluru's water crisis, say RWH expert

Bengaluru: Rainwater harvesting pioneer S Vishwanath on Friday called for a unified approach to achieve water security in the city.

Speaking at an exclusive panel discussion titled 'Securing Bengaluru’s Water Future' at the 'DH Bengaluru Water Summit', he said, "For any city, there are six taps: rainwater, surface water, groundwater, piped water, treated water, and demand management. All of them must be managed under a single institution or a coordinated series of institutions with a clear goal."

The summit, held to discuss strategies for achieving water security in the city, had water management experts addressing the challenges of water sustainability and the importance of collaboration between the government and communities.

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) chairman Ramprasat Manohar V acknowledged the multiple agencies involved in water management and highlighted efforts to create an institutional framework for better coordination.

"Isolated water management by one government body will fail. We must respect the various parastatal bodies' domains and establish a framework for collaboration. We have set up a groundwater cell in the BWSSB and are working closely with central and state groundwater authorities, as well as experts from the Indian Institute of Science," Manohar said.

Representing the real estate sector, Mallanna Sasalu, CEO, Provident Housing Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Puravankara, spoke about the initiatives developers were taking within their limited scope.

"As developers, we cannot supply Cauvery water to our projects, leaving us with the option of borewells, which has repercussions. However, we have implemented rainwater harvesting and best-in-class sewage treatment plants (STPs) at our project sites. We have also conducted hydrogeological tests to study aquifers," Sasalu noted, adding that rapid development had outpaced planning and execution, leading to water issues.

The panelists, however, unanimously agreed on the crucial role of community participation in water conservation. "Community involvement can be a game-changer. The government must collaborate with citizens, who are willing to support water conservation efforts. It is everyone's responsibility to respect the water we receive," said Usha Rajagopalan, a lake conservationist.

The summit also touched upon the use of treated water, the challenges it posed, and the initiatives taken by the BWSSB to address these issues.