stp

There has been much excitement at Puttenahalli Lake, JP Nagar this past week. With the onset of summer, there is not much water in the lake but it is expected that this will not be for long. PNLIT's "get water in the lake" project is closing in on another milestone.    A couple of years ago, a diversion channel to let storm water into the lake was completed by the BBMP. Apart from harvesting rain water, this move proved to be important in preventing the flooding of low-lying areas near the lake. Though the water level in the lake did rise during…

Community update on the Ibblur Lake restoration effort, shared by Mr Mukund Kumar   In the month of October, the last section of the fencing of the inner lake area around the bend from ORR service road (near Cafe Coffee Day) was finally fenced by officials of the BDA. A separate pedestrian gate was installed on the section facing the back side of Sobha Hibiscus near ORR Service. This was stalled in the context of a court case filed by a certain party who was arguing for road expansion in the lake area in the context of commercial construction interest…

A well-functioning sewage treatment plant (STP) achieves two things – (1) it handles solid and liquid waste, which otherwise would pollute the earth, and enables its recycling (2) it is a source of usable water (effluent) and fertiliser (sludge). Unfortunately, the STP at Yelahanka New Town 5th Phase, achieves neither. Built by the BWSSB about 10 years ago, spread across 5 acres of land, the STP was supposed to treat about 3MLD. The treated water was to be let into Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake. However, despite huge investment, the STP has never been operated to treat sewage. Instead, the "Waste Water…

The linking of a waste-water treatment plant, a wetland and lake ecosystem could be one method of keeping our lakes full and recharging our aquifers. Jakkur Lake in north Bangalore is one such live example. Steps that have been taken for its revival have seen positive results, which have been documented in Aajwanthi's thesis "Towards a water sensitive city: The story of Jakkur Lake" here. BIOME has planned a visit to Jakkur Lake. Date: Sunday, 6th April 2014Time: 9.00 a.m. Meeting point: Gate of the Jakkur Wastewater Treatment Plant (http://wikimapia.org/4129931/Jakkur-Lake-Paradise-for-Birds )  The tour includes- the waste-water treatment plant- the wetland - the lake-…

I have been pursuing a master’s degree in Sustainability in Helsinki for the past year and a half. Scouting for a thesis topic along with my interest in the intersection of water, communication and education brought me right back to Bangalore where I had studied and worked earlier in the areas mentioned above. This time, I was trying to look at how design interventions can enable public awareness and participation in the functioning of a sustainable urban water management system. My research was based around the Jakkur Lake — and this was for a specific reason. Bangalore and water Bangalore was once…

After years of lobbying by apartment residents against the imposition of annual fees on apartments that operate Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has relented and reduced the fees to Rs.250 per annum. The KSPCB has ruled that apartments be treated as an Urban Local Body and has revised the fee for Consent For Operation (CFO) to Rs 250 per annum. Earlier apartments had to shell out Rs 30,000 to 40,000 per year for the same. The KSPCB order dated 17 July 2013 can be seen here. The background STPs were made mandatory in 2010 for…

As another International World Water Day is observed on 22nd March, here is a list of what architects-builders can do to make their apartments and layouts reduce their water footprint. When we talk of water supply, water shortage, water conservation and everything else WATER in Bangalore homes, there are generally three subjects of focus: The water consumer - you, me and everything else that needs water The water supplier - Government, BWSSB, water tankers, bottled water agents The water source - Cauvery river, lakes, wells, borewells, rain As end consumers, much of the onus on saving water is on individuals.…

BWSSB is all set for a 90 MLD (Million litres per day) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Amanikane in Thubarahalli near Marathahalli. BWSSB officials claim this project is to stop channelising sewage water to Bellandur Lake and this in turn will preserve the lake. Untreated sewage water into Bellandur Lake. Pic: Sankar C G However, a Citizen Matters investigation has revealed that the proposed STP is not going to save Bellandur lake. Amanikane is 10 kms away from Bellandur Lake. The sewage water coming from Bangalore has to go through Bellandur lake before it reaches the site where the Amanikane…

Elita Promenade residents in JP Nagar, 7th Phase, have filed a lawsuit against their developers for allegedly keeping them in dark over various issues related to the apartment complex. The case was filed in November 2011. Elita Promenade, near Sarakki lake, is a multi-floor apartment complex constructed in joint venture between Singapore-based Keppel Land and Puravankara Developers, Bengaluru. Three issues seems to lie at the centre of the conflict - sewage problem, lack of clarity on land ownership in the layout and sale of one part of common land to KPTCL without notice. Pic: Abhishek Angad A temporary boundary fence…

Apartment Complexes broadly face two major issues when it comes to Water Management. One, sustainable water supply to individual flats - entirely driven by borewells or tankers. And two, cost effective waste water treatment - under-capacity Sewage treatment plants and unclear regulations of Pollution Control Board stress out the Management Committee. Where do you get your water from? How many tankers does your apartment complex have to buy everyday? Fill this Water Survey! The survey results and learnings will be discussed in a session during the water workshop. On 25th February, ApartmentAdda is organising a Water Workshop for apartment communities…