BBMP prepares to lead the way in RWH

BBMP prepares to lead the way in RWH

Krishnaprasad

The civic body will install rainwater harvesting in its own buildings in phases

The project is likely to be completed in next two to three months

The project is estimated to cost Rs. 65 lakh

Bangalore: In a bid to set an example for its citizens to use rainwater for non-potable purposes, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), for the first time, will harvest rainwater at some of its buildings.

In the first phase, the BBMP has chosen 16 buildings to implement rainwater harvesting (RWH) at an estimated cost of Rs. 65 lakh.

According to officials, several lakh litres of potable water is being used every day for non-potable purposes like cleaning toilets, gardening and so on in these buildings and the RWH will not only save precious potable water but will also reduce the water bill.

A team of experts from Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology (KSCST), led by its Chief Investigator A.R. Shivakumar, had studied the annual roof yield of rainwater from each of these 16 buildings and suggested suitable plan for implementing the RWH.
Tenders finalised

The BBMP, based on the technical report given by the KSCST team, has now finalised the tenders for implementing the project, which is likely to be completed in next two to three months.

The buildings identified for implementation of the project in the first phase include the Town Hall, J.C. Road; West Zone Joint Commissioner Office, Sampige Road; BBMP complexes and offices in Rajajinagar, Yeshwanthpur, Queen’s Road, LIC Colony in Byrasandra, Chennammanakere in Banashankari, 4th cross, Magadi Road, J.C. Road, parts of Mayo Hall on M.G. Road; BBMP Girls’ High School, Gandhinagar; BBMP Girls’ High School and PU College, Srirampura; Electrical Crematoria in Banashankari, Peenya and Wilson Garden; and South Zone Office, 2nd Block, Jayanagar.

While Rs. 6.6 lakh is the highest estimated amount for implementing project at the Town Hall, it requires only Rs 1.4 lakh in case of the electric crematorium at Peenya. Similarly, it is estimated that BBMP’s complexes in Yeshawanthpur will give roof yield of about 17.19 lakh litres of rain water annually and 12.22 lakh litres in case of Town Hall.

All these 16 buildings put together will have capacity to collect over 10 million litres of rain water annually.
Huge savings

According to BBMP officials, about five million litres of potable water can be saved annually by implementing RWH in these 16 buildings. While in 14 buildings the BBMP is adopting only rain water storage method by constructing underground storage tank, ground water recharging mechanism along with storage of rainwater is being adopted in BBMP High Girls’ High School and PU College in Srirampura and Electric Crematorium in Peenya.

Adoption of RWH method in BBMP buildings will give moral force to its officials to ask the public people to follow the bylaw, said an official, pointing out that as per the bylaws every building with a plinth area of exceeding 100 sq metres and built on a site measuring not less than 200 sq. m. should have at least one RWH structure if not more.

The civic body plans to implement rainwater harvesting in about 21 buildings in the second phase.