Bangalore builders to use treated water for construction sites

Make every drop of water count! Research says that nearly 360 million liters of water go waste due to leakage or old and worn-out pipelines in the city.Though the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) treats close to 1,067 million liters per day (MLD), this water is hardly used for construction activities.

With the growing water crisis across the state and a ban on construction activities, BWSSB is trying to advise industries and builders to use treated or recycled water for construction.

According to reports, construction sites mostly use borewell water that is supplied through tankers or sometimes even Cauvery water. This water is mainly used for mixing purposes or repairing a building.

Treated water is a good substitute for all these activities. If half of the industrial sector switch to treated water, it will help in saving a good amount of groundwater.

A single floor constructed on a 1,000 sq.ft plot requires almost 50,000-70,000 liters of water if the time frame for the construction is six to ten months.

Among the 1,067 million liters of water treated per day, 250-265 MLD of this water goes to the Kolar fields while the rest goes to the lakes and stormwater drains.

Experts say that secondary treated water and specially treated water are the two types of treated water. While specially treated water comes at Rs.15 per kiloliter, secondary treated water is sold at Rs.10 if transported by lorries or tankers. If transported through pipelines, secondary water is sold at Rs.10 and specially treated water at Rs.25 per kiloliter.

Studies state that at present not even 10% of water is utilized properly by the Bangaloreans. Considering the present scenario of water, this may turn out to be a big disadvantage for the entire state. On average, a person requires almost 130-150 liters of water for their daily use.

In order to save water and not push Bangalore to be in a position where it becomes difficult for people to survive, it is advisable to use treated water for constructions, gardening or any agricultural purposes.