Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board Targets Water Savings Amid Crisis

Amid Bangalore's escalating water crisis, the BWSSB has initiated a strategic supply reduction plan targeting big consumers to conserve water. The city, grappling with a 500 MLD daily water deficit this summer, aims to save 60 MLD through these measures, addressing 12% of the shortfall.

Key Strategies for Water Conservation:

• Consumer Categorization: Big consumers are divided into three groups based on their daily water usage: bulk users (over 2 crore litres), big consumers (20 lakh to 40 lakh litres), and those consuming 40 lakh to 2 crore litres.

• Initial Supply Cut: A 20% reduction was implemented on March 15 for 38 bulk users, including major establishments like defence bases and universities, saving around 12 MLD daily. Hospitals are exempt from these cuts.

• Expanded Supply Reduction: The initiative will extend to additional large consumers, particularly in commercial sectors and residential complexes, aiming to save nearly 50 MLD daily by reducing water supply by 10% in April.

Upcoming Plans and Potential Further Actions:

• Stakeholder Engagement: Meetings with consumers using between 20 lakh and 40 lakh litres are scheduled to discuss the implementation of the supply cut.

• Second Phase Consideration: Based on the water situation in May, a further 10% reduction for big users might be considered, potentially increasing total water savings.

Additional Information to Remember:

• The initiative underscores the urgent need for water conservation in Bangalore and represents a critical step towards mitigating the city's water scarcity.

• The success of this program could serve as a model for other regions facing similar challenges, highlighting the importance of targeted conservation measures.

Keywords to Remember:

• Bulk Users: Large-scale water consumers classified by the BWSSB based on their daily usage, targeted for supply cuts to conserve water.

• Water Deficit: The shortfall in water supply faced by a region, quantified by the difference between demand and available resources.

• Supply Cut: A reduction in the water supply to certain consumers as a measure to save water during times of scarcity.

Reason it's important : Bengaluru to save nearly 60 MLD water through supply cut to big consumers

Published in : The Hindu

Date appeared in newspaper : 04 April 2024

Link to the article (might require a paid subscription) : https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/2024-04-04/th_international/articleGCBCKHI9N-6349690.ece