Reuse and Recycle: Bengaluru's sewage will irrigate Kolar
Synopsis
The proposal came from the Karnataka state government in 2015 to send the city’s treated sewage water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts. This water is likely to recharge the groundwater level and this can be used for agricultural purposes.
Bengaluru’s treated sewage water has found a new destination. By August 2017, India’s Silicon Valley’s treated sewage water will be flowing to a tank in Kolar. This water is likely to recharge the groundwater level and this can be used for agricultural purposes.
The proposal came from the Karnataka state government in 2015 to send city’s treated sewage water to Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts. There is a lot of stigma attached to sewage, but treated sewage is perfectly fine to grow crops.
Kolar is one of the districts in Karnataka which does not have a river. However, it receives an average of 690 mm rainfall annually. So Bengaluru’s 1500 million litres of sewage water (which is produced per day) can add to the benefits of the farmers.
“We are getting water pipes from Hyderabad. At present work on 10 km of line is complete. The remaining will be completed in the next few months,” Secretary to Department of Minor Irrigation, Prabhakar H Chini was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.
“We are expected to send treated water by August 2017. Around 400 MLD of sewage water from Chelagatta valley in Koramangala and surrounding areas will be sent to Narasapura tank of Malur taluk in Kolar.”
Currently, there are Sewage Treatment Plants (STP), that can treat 720 MLD of water. Meanwhile, BWSSB Chief Engineer (Waste Water Management) Ramakrishna S M confirmed that it is indeed possible to send sewage water from Koramangala – Chalaghatta Valley and surrounding areas to Kolar.
This is a good move from the state government and such smart solutions can help the state’s farmers and the agriculture simultaneously.