Dual pipelines only for future layouts

Dual pipelines only for future layouts

30-ft roads in new BDA sites are too narrow to lay line for treated water

The roads should be 40ft wide for the new project aimed at tackling water crisis

Odeal D'Souza. Bangalore



Road width is acting as a stumbling block for the water board in laying dual pipelines in the new layouts developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). The existing 30-ft road is not sufficient to lay the pipelines, one for fresh water, and the other for recycled water.
But future layouts with 40-ft roads will have dual pipelines as the surface and groundwater stocks in city are depleting fast.
The decision was made by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) at a meeting held recently.
The new BDA layouts have sanitary and drinking water lines. But the road is not wide enough to lay another line for treated water. Despite this, if this line is laid close to the sanitary line, there is the danger of seepage of water from sanitary line.
Hence the water board officials decided that the dual pipeline system will be introduced only in future layouts of BDA where the road is at least 40ft wide. In such a situation, mixing of sewage and treated water is ruled out.
"However, there has been no requisition from the BDA regarding the new layouts till now," said BWSSB officials. "Only when they come forward, we can do anything."
"The recycled water is good for drinking as well as for cleaning. However, residents do not generally agree to this fact. Hence, they can use the recycled water for washing and other chores. Right now, recycled water is being used by two industries: BEL and the Bengaluru International Airport," they said.
The tertiary treated water plant is set up at Yelahanka from where the recycled water goes to these industries. Apart from these two, no other units have approached us for recycled water," they said.
"We are ready to provide them with water. However, if one industry wants the recycled water exclusively for themselves, they should bear the costs," they said.
Besides laying separate pipeline for treated water, the board is planning to manage water more efficiently. To achieve this, it will make rainwater harvesting mandatory in all new layouts and go tough against those who over-exploit water resources.