Bwssb

Instance 1: Summer of 2012. T-Zed Homes, a gated community spread over five acres in Whitefield was facing acute water shortage, resulting in water rationing within the complex. With ever-growing water needs, even the water supplied by 10 tankers everyday proved to be insufficient for the residents of this housing complex. In the last four years, however, things have changed dramatically for the residents of T-Zed Homes. The successful implementation of sewage water treatment and rainwater harvesting have helped them reduce the dependency on water tankers. 100% working implementation of the sewage treatment plants in the apartment space has led…

Taking a keen interest to test the actual efficacy of its service delivery, BWSSB asked Bengaluru-based think tank, Public Affairs Centre to assess BWSSB’s services using its renowned Citizen Report Card (CRC) approach to include consumer and provider feedback to provide incisive insights. Nearly 80% of BWSSB consumers reported lack of any check into water thefts, 41% received new connections only after 2 weeks, 94% remained unaware of water adalats, and non-availability of help desks and a lax grievance redress system reported by those who visited BWSSB offices are just some of the prominent findings from Public Affairs Centre (PAC)’s…

A dry for years lake finally looks like a proper water body. Ever since we took up the cause of Puttenahalli Lake over seven years ago, this had been one of our goals - to see the entire lake bed submerged. 20th May 2014 6th June 2015 For over a year, excess treated waste water from the STP at South City Apartment Complex is being discharged into the lake. This has percolated and saturated thoroughly the earth below before showing up on the surface. The rain water added to this increasing the level to an unprecedented height. While we were…

This true story is typical of the experience of thousands of residents of Bengaluru who are at the mercy of ‘service’ providers like the municipal corporation (BBMP) and water supply (BWSSB). In the first week of December, BBMP’s contractors began re-laying pavement stones in Jayanagar. Gangs of workers piled the dug up mud, concrete chunks, broken stone slabs and bricks all along the pavement, blocking my entrance. How do I get in and out of my home? I protested. The labourers suggested I step into the two feet deep drain and access my entrance. As a 75-year-old senior citizen with…

Mestripalya lake, waiting to be filled with water. Pic: Holly Thorpe After decades of delays and legal complications, the finish line for Mestripalya Lake is in sight—but just out of reach. The lake, located in Koramangala 3rd Block in East Bengaluru, is ready to receive water, but until the project is transferred from the BDA to the BBMP, it cannot be filled. The BDA has done all of the structural work visible today, including fencing the lake. Before development, the area was overgrown with weeds, and a receptacle for waste. Now, the lake has been dug out to receive water,…

11-year-old Amita, a resident of Dega Enclave apartment in Koramangala in Bengaluru, was rushed to a doctor for developing severely high temperature soon after recovering from gastroenteritis. She was diagnosed with Typhoid. After spending four days in St. John’s Hospital on drips, she has returned home on June 16th, and is likely to miss her school for another week. There were many other kids who fell sick in the same apartment of eight houses, but hers was the most severe case. The culprit behind the case is supposed to be the contaminated water supplied through the Bangalore Water Supply and…

A recent circular sent by the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) directed apartments with Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to adhere to certain parameters. This kickstarted a debate among apartment residents, as the BWSSB did not publish the circular on their website and there was no official communication on this to any of the apartments that have STP. The BWSSB circular issued by BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief on May 19th 2015 deals with two aspects: 1) Making it mandatory to use external additives like microorganisms for bio-culturing in STPs 2) Compulsory installation of single low cost ‘probe’, a sensor equipment, fitted…

On 13th April, a sunny Monday, we (PNLIT trustees) saw water entering Puttenahalli Lake from the rainwater diversion channel at the lake entrance near the Brigade Millennium arch. It was so little that we thought it to be the usual wash from the adjacent MLR Convention Centre.    However, a couple of days later when we found it increasing in volume and forming a black stinking mass in front of the diversion channel at the lake bed, we immediately informed BWSSB and BBMP. BWSSB's Junior Engineer, Mr. Nagaraj came to inspect the spot. He said that the sewage drain connected to…

Though Bengaluru's weather has been a tad moody the past couple of days, it is common knowledge that come summer, as the temperatures rise, so will the water tanker prices. Earlier this year, Citizen Matters had assisted in collecting data for a joint study between a student from MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and IIM Bangalore’s New Real Estate initiative on the water tanker industry in Bangalore. Here are the results from the survey. This map aims to give information about water tanker rates across the city of Bangalore, and an insight into the availability (or lack of) water in…