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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
The '''Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)''' is the premier governmental agency responsible for [[sewage]] disposal and water supply to the [[India]]n city of [[Bangalore]]. It was formed in 1964.<ref>[http://indiagovernance.gov.in/GKC/GKC_WebUI/Portal/TaxonomyShowCase/ShowCaseStudy.aspx?CSID=366&tid=351 "e-Governance in Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board", India Governance Knowledge Center, accessed 11 August 2007] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019014042/http://indiagovernance.gov.in/GKC/GKC_WebUI/Portal/TaxonomyShowCase/ShowCaseStudy.aspx?CSID=366&tid=351 |date=2007-10-19 }}. Note that other sources indicate 1964 as the year of the Board's formation. Literally everybody living in Bangalore wastes so much water</ref>

==Water supply==
[[File:BWSSB Water Tank at Indiranagar, Hundred Feet Road.JPG|thumb|right|Typical BWSSB water supply tank for the locality.]]
BWSSB currently supplies approximately 900 million liters (238 million gallons) of water to the city per day, despite a municipal demand of 1.3 billion liters. Water for the city (with a population of 10 million) comes from a number of sources, with 80% of it coming from the [[Cauvery River]]. Water is also drawn from the [[Arkavathy River]], but the supply does not meet the demand.<ref name=bwssbfaq>[http://www.bwssb.org/help_faq.html BWSSB website FAQ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818140724/http://bwssb.org/help_faq.html |date=2007-08-18 }}</ref>

The ''per capita'' water supply that BWSSB is able to provide averages 100 to 125 liters per capita per day. However, the actual availability of water to the poor areas of the city is limited by infrastructure, and so for these areas, the ''per capita'' supply can be as low as 40 to 45 liters per day. The ''per capita'' national standard for a city the size of Bangalore is 150 to 200 liters per day,<ref name=bwssbfaq/> From the month of March 2012, water supply in Whitefield has been stopped, with even rich neighborhoods left to fend for themselves.

===Kaveri River project===
The majority of the water for Bangalore is imported by the BWSSB from the Cauvery River, over {{convert|100|km|mi|sp=us}} south of the city.<ref name=tce1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070320070821/http://www.tce.co.in/infra/watersupply/bangalore.pdf "Kaveri Water Supply Scheme - Stage IV: Phase I Design Review Report overview", TCE Consulting Engineers Limited, accessed 11 August 2007]</ref> Cauvery water was originally drawn from a reservoir near the village of [[Thorekadanahalli]]. To meet the increasing demand, the "Cauvery Water Supply Scheme" was undertaken by the BWSSB, with Stages I - III completed.<ref name=bwssbfaq/> Stage IV is currently being built, with Phase I completed and bringing an additional 270 million liters to the city.<ref name=bwssbfaq/><ref name=hindu6>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001044741/http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/20/stories/2007062074520400.htm "Cauvery water for new areas soon", ''The Hindu'', 20 June 2007, accessed 11 August 2007]</ref> Construction of Stage IV: Phase II is expected to bring an additional 510 million liters, and will be completed by 2010.<ref name=bwssbfaq/>

The energy required to transport the water this distance consumes 75% of the agency's revenues.<ref name=hindu1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001015212/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/03/stories/2007080360510500.htm "Bangalore team visits RWH structures in city", ''The Hindu'', 3 August 2007, accessed 11 August 2007]</ref>

===Arkavathy River===
Up to 20% of the normal water supply for Bangalore comes from the Arkavathy River, from two reservoirs built on the river, the [[Hesaraghatta]] (or Hesseraggatta) which was built in 1894 and the [[Tippagondanahalli Reservoir]] (or T G Halli), which was built in 1933.<ref name=bwssbfaq/>

In June 2007, T G Halli, from which BWSSB pumped 35 million liters per day into the western parts of the city, had effectively gone dry due to lack of rainfall over its watershed. BWSSB officials stated that they would address the issue initially by making water available for only one hour a day, and then by diverting water from other parts of the city, as well as bringing water in by truck.<ref name=deccan2>[http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun272007/city200706279672.asp "It pours, but T G Halli reservoir remains dry", ''Deccan Herald'', 27 June 2007, accessed 11 August 2007]</ref> The quality of the water in the reservoir has also become compromised by the discharge of [[effluent]] into the reservoir.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://kspcb.kar.nic.in/Tippagondanahalli%20Reservoir.doc |title=Government of Karnataka Notification No. FEE 215 ENV 2000 |access-date=12 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927174237/http://kspcb.kar.nic.in/Tippagondanahalli%20Reservoir.doc |archive-date=27 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Rainwater harvesting===
To further address water supply issues, BWSSB has studied the [[rainwater harvesting]] (RWH) techniques used in [[Chennai]], where such methods have greatly reduced water shortage issues. RWH methods are becoming mandatory in Bangalore.<ref name=hindu1/> In addition, in April 2007, BWSSB issued a moratorium on new building hookups to the water system.<ref name=hindu2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070714011031/http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/03/stories/2007060308500400.htm "Rainwater harvesting is the way forward for Bangalore"],
''The Hindu'' 3 June 2007, accessed 11 August 2007</ref> The moratorium was lifted in July, but only on new buildings that have a RWH system installed.<ref name=deccan1>[http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jul12007/city2007070110428.asp "Ban on New Water Connection Goes", ''Deccan Herald'', 1 July 2007, accessed 11 August 2007]</ref>

===Water rationing===
The BWSSB is also considering implementing a mandatory water rationing program in order to evenly distribute what water supplies exist. A small trial rationing program was instituted in March 2007. Electronic water meters would shut off after the allotted amount of water was used, but the program was considered a technical failure, due in part to software issues.<ref name=hindu4>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070629195350/http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/27/stories/2007062756150300.htm "Water rationing looms large over Bangalore city", ''The Hindu'', 27 June 2007]</ref>

===Water table issues===
Groundwater extraction has caused the [[water table]] to drop variously from 90 to 300 meters (300 to 1000 feet) below ground level (as compared to an average water table depth of about 30 meters (90 feet) two decades ago), according to the [[Indian Institute of Science]].<ref name=hindu1/><ref name=hindu3>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070701061632/http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/28/stories/2007062860351300.htm "Water access and citizens’ movements", ''The Hindu'', 28 June 2007]</ref>

The situation affecting T G Halli are not isolated. Rapid urbanization in and around Bangalore has destroyed many wetlands areas (of the 51 lakes in the city in 1973, only 17 remain in 2007<ref name=hindu3/>), which has also contributed to the decrease in the water table.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}}

==Sewerage system==
Bangalore's original sewerage system was built in 1922, a time when the city was much smaller than it is today; the original system served only the heart of the city. In 1950, with the city greatly expanding, a project was initiated to greatly expand the sewerage system. After the BWSSB was formed in the 1960s, programs were again implemented to expand the system to not sewer areas. The current sewer system utilizes stoneware pipes up to {{convert|300|mm|in|1}} in diameter, and RCC pipes for the mains and outfalls up to {{convert|2100|mm|in|1}} in diameter.<ref>[http://www.bwssb.org/sewerage_system.html BWSSB Sewerage System overview]</ref>

There are three main sewage treatment plants, which are located in the Vrishabavathy, [[Koramangala]]-Chellaghatta and [[Hebbal, Bangalore|Hebbal]] valleys. Two additional mini-plants have been built near [[Madiwala]] and Kempambudi.<ref name=bwssbfaq/>

==See also==
*[[Infrastructure in Bangalore]]
*[[Kaveri River Water Dispute]]
*[[Sanitary sewer overflow]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bwssb.gov.in/ Official agency website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070827103417/http://www.onlinebangalore.com/gove/bwss/banwater.html BWSSB info on Bangalore' government web site]
*[http://newsrack.in/Browse.do;jsessionid=45425803EFFD9C4C48B99421432BCE28?owner=sas&issue=Bangalore+water+supply&catID=9&start=21 Archive of news stories about BWSSB]
*[https://archive.today/20150128033341/http://bangalore-property-buy.com/real-estate/property-for-sale/Bangalore-Real-Estate-Album/Indiranagar/Government/BWSSB-water-supply/ Images of Bangalore]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bangalore Water Supply And Sewerage Board}}
[[Category:Government of Bangalore]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in Mysore State]]
[[Category:State agencies of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Water management authorities in India]]

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board - Revision history

UpdateBot at 10:06, 10 August 2021