Shubha: The company`s offices and buildings seem to have systems. It may not be perfect or complete, but a conversation is taking place. With these small shops, which are rented or private, there can be physical challenges, such as not even Cauvery water. They can buy their own tanker water. Water storage and reuse may not be accessible to everyone, as there may be a number of stores that share a water source. There, there must be a group implementation of the CEP that guarantees the contribution of all. With small businesses, we really need to think about what`s appropriate or how we don`t get stuck in the letter but walk with the spirit. The bill aims to provide a fresh water source to the city of Bengaluru through rainwater harvesting in areas of poor water quality Read more: Rainwater harvesting: apartment`s water bill goes from more than one lakh to zero during monsoon Here`s the other side of the story: Let`s say I have a well in my house. Let`s say the well is dry.
Now I do CEP and put it in the well. The fountain comes back to life with water. I`m starting to use water. One would think that the BWSSB should reward me for my independence from municipal public services. For every 1000 liters I use from the well, I save BWSSB Rs. 88 (95-7). But what the BWSSB is doing is punishing me. He charges me Rs. 100/month for well water. Vishwanath: He can redesign rainwater drains better. Instead of taking all the water and draining it out of the area, he could make seepage wells in the smaller drains and develop a master plan so that all the drains have recharge wells.
With fewer than two lakh homes in Bengaluru city having installed rainwater harvesting systems since a 2011 law made it mandatory for new homes, city officials and experts aren`t thrilled with a new bill that requires all large buildings to collect and use rainwater. A.R. Shivakumar, a water management consultant and former scientist with the Indian Institute of Science who drafted the 2009 rainwater harvesting guidelines, said that with the new change, it appeared that even structures on 30×40-foot sites that were created before the previous change in 2009 would now have to take over rainwater harvesting. He welcomed the decision, saying it was time for citizens to recognize the cost of water. “If water conservation is not made mandatory, people will not realize the importance of water,” he said. “This leads to flooding during heavy rains, as several houses drain rainwater at the same time. We need to treat rainwater through wastewater treatment plants (STPs), which affects the sewage system,” he added. Rainwater harvesting, which was previously mandatory for sites over 60×40 feet, will also be made mandatory for 30×40 sites in Bengaluru as the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed a bill in the regard on Thursday. “We are removing the old houses from now on, but we have plans for the future.
In case of violation, we charge a 50% surcharge on the water bill as a penalty,” said the BWSSB president. He said the houses do not use rainwater for toilets and gardening, but currently drain it into the underground network. Owners and occupants of buildings of at least 2,325 square feet and 10,763.9 square feet or less must provide stormwater harvesting structures for the storage, use and recharge of groundwater. Justice Minister J.C. Madhuswamy, who piloted the law on behalf of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, said it was already mandatory for properties on 60×40 plots to have rainwater harvesting structures. “Now we`re making it mandatory for 30×40 pitches, while excluding existing ones. We also include 40×60 properties that have not built stormwater collection structures, and those over 40×60 that have double pipes,” he said. Vishwanath: All these efforts require patience, perseverance and a communication strategy that convinces citizens that they must do something not only for themselves, but also for the common good. Now you can take the garbage and throw it out on the street and you`re done with the problem.
It is now a community problem. Similar to RWH, you can have good water from BWSSB. You can have a borehole that gives you water. But if we don`t all do CEP, the benefits won`t sink. So persuasion takes time. Vishwanath: Commercial water costs 60 rupees/kl. The BWSSB tariff is very high for commercial water use. Industrial water consumption is even higher – Rs. 72/kl. The serving water is at Rs. 7/kl in the first plate, Rs. 11/kl in the second plate.
So if you save 100,000 liters through HR in domestic use, that`s 100 kl, which is equivalent to 700 rupees. So if you save 1 lakh liter of water in a year, the cost you will save is only Rs 700. Shubha: The previous questions about water quality and whether it`s good enough to drink seem to be going away. This type of expertise in the field of water has certainly increased. For groundwater, we are running this campaign, which is now called a million wells. Thus, the other part of the FFS takes surface runoff and tries to replenish groundwater with it through replenishment wells, which are the most economical and efficient enrichment structures. I think the time has come to move forward. Vishwanath: Now we need to democratize water management. Each community committee must ensure that there is a discussion about whether there is general coverage. Do 100% of all buildings in this station have a connection to water and sanitation? If they do not, how quickly are we going to get it to everyone? So how can we help all citizens do RAP in the cheapest and easiest way that is relevant to this community? Then he has to revive all his lakes and fill them with purified sewage, as Jakkur and Doddabommasandra do.
Please let us know if the BWSSB grants a concession in its monthly water bill for the CEP system we introduced into our home. We drilled and did a RAINWATER HARVESTING last year. If we have to tell BWSSB that we have a CEP. Please advise your article on RWH is educational and good. Please let us know if we need to inform BWSSB of the availability of RWH in an apartment as soon as it is established if BWSSB reduces its fees in their monthly water bill charged by them, which includes a penalty fee for our well.