Bengaluru: Waking up late to curb the contamination of lakes, the BWSSB has decided to set up six new sewage treatment plants (STPs) across the city. While four plants have been approved by the state government, the board is awaiting government’s nod for two more plants.
According to chief engineer S.M. Ramakrishna (Waste Water Management), the plants in Vrushabhavathi Valley, KMC Valley, Hebbal and Doddabelle have been approved. The plants will have the treating capacity of 150 MLD (million litres per day), 150 MLD, 100 MLD and 40 MLD respectively. The yet-to-be approved projects in Jnanabharati campus and K.R Puram will treat 60 MLD and 20 MLD sewage each.
Says Mr Ramakrishna, “The city generates about 1600 MLD of sewage. Presently, we have the capacity to treat 721 MLD sewage. But the rapid increase in population, especially in peripheral areas, is posing a threat to lakes. Many residents, including apartment complexes, are letting out sewage into drains which eventually enters the lakes. In a bid to put an end to contamination of lakes, we are increasing the treatment capacity of the plants.”
When the proposed project becomes functional, the BWSSB will be equipped to treat 520 MLD of sewage at these six plants. The six plants will come up at whopping cost of Rs 1,500 crore. “Fifty per cent of the project will be funded under the Mega City Revolving Funds, while BWSSB and state government will each share 25 per cent of the costs. The plants will be commissioned by 2018,” he added.
Mr Ramakrishna said that the new plants will also be helpful when the project to supply Cauvery water to 110 villages is commissioned. He stressed, “We will increase the quantity of water pumped to the city when water will have to be supplied to 110 villages. As of now, these villages have no underground drainage (UGD) lines. Since construction of the proposed treatment plants will take another 3 years, we will be fully ready to treat additional sewage.”
With the construction of 10 sewage treatment plants to treat 339 MLD sewage in progress, the BWSSB will be capable of treating 1,580 MLD sewage.
