Water shortage looms large over City: CM

Water shortage looms large over City: CM
Friday August 17 2007 13:41 IST

BANGALORE: The spectre of water scarcity haunts the metro.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday acknowledged the City was facing acute paucity of potable water. Bangalore receives 840 MLD of water from the Cauvery and Arkavathi rivers against a demand of around 1219 MLD.

Addressing the media after reviewing the works of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) he said it was important to recycle water and judiciously use it.

‘‘The state government will fund Rs 860 crore to set up an Ultra-filtration Unit to fight the shortage.’’ The project would be taken up under JNNURM, he said.

On the water scarcity in Devanahalli, he said ultrafiltration technique would also be used to supply water for the construction of the airport and to meet the drinking water needs of people residing in the vicinity.

Kumaraswamy directed the BWSSB officials to speed up the process of augmenting the existing supply of 100 MLD so that the seven CMCs and one TMC could have adequate water supply.

‘‘Over 650 MLD of sewage water will be recycled for drinking purposes as well as to meet the deficit,’’ he said.

The CM pointed out that with the addition of new BBMP wards, the aim should be to provide around 1500 MLD water by 2015.

The Cauvery Water Supply Scheme Stage-IV, Phase-2 has been taken up with financial assistance from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to augment water supply by 500 MLD by 2011-12.