‘Instal RWH or face disconnection’

‘Instal RWH or face disconnection’
S Lalitha , Bangalore, Feb 19, DH News Service:

Alarmed by the poor response from house-owners in the face of the fast-approaching deadline to instal rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has warned house-owners either to opt for RWH before May 27 or face disconnection of drinking water supply.


In all 70,000 pamphlets on this issue are being issued door to door all over the City. The target section identified by the BWSSB is the existing buildings having a site area of 2,400 square feet (60’ x 40’ site) and above. New houses are sanctioned drinking water connections only on producing proof of RWH structures within their buildings.

“We have identified nearly 55,000 existing buildings where RWH needs to be installed. The process of identifying more houses is still going on and 15,000 more are likely to come under the mandatory RWH category,” said a BWSSB official. “Only 3,700 houses have installed RWH structures so far,” he added.

The pamphlets are delivered personally by the BWSSB employees and acknowledgement is collected.The Board has made it mandatory for its employees to collect an acknowledgement from each house specifying receipt of notice. The Assistant Engineer, Water Inspector or the meter reader at each service station have been entrusted with the task.

Initiatives such as street plays on RWH, interactive sessions with resident associations and public workshops organised at various parts of the City have failed to convince the public on the need to conserve rainwater. These steps were taken by BWSSB since August 27, 2008, the date the BWSSB Act was amended to make RWH mandatory.