Janaagraha | Be the Change You Want to See

Treated water is supplied from the river sources to the city via pumped transmission systems and distributed around the city via a City trunk system. The BWSSB is the only supplier in the city. It has been supplying water since 1896 to Bangalore city.

80% of the water supplied to the city is from the River Cauvery located at a distance of about 100 km and 1100 ft lower than Bangalore, resulting in 16MW of power used in lifting 690 Million Litres of water per Day (MLD) from Cauvery and TG Halli. Thereby, BWSSB is BESCOM's biggest consumer. In addition, localized bore wells utilizing groundwater, often provided by the BWSSB and City Municipal Corporations (CMC's) are a common source of water supply in the city.

Water tankers, are less commonly used and have a very low capacity in the overall scheme of water supply to the city.

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What are the services provided by the BWSSB?

There are three primary stated services provided by the BWSSB. They are:

Water services

• Supply of potable water at a suitable pressure to meet individual requirements for most commercial and domestic uses on alternate days. Water would meet the standards stipulated by the Central Public Health Engineering & Environment Organization (CPHEEO).

• Additional tankers of water, on request and on spot payment.

Sewerage services

• Adequate services involving sewerage systems, treatment and disposal of sewage for households, non-domestic establishments.

• Customers have the right to use BWSSB sewerage system to discharge domestic sewage. In case of discharge of industrial / trade effluents, customers are to ensure that effluent standards, set by the CPHEEO, are met.

Bore well services

• Bore wells are provided with BMP funds in slums and in poorer areas of the city metro areas where there is no piped water supply.

• BWSSB maintains its bore wells.

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What is the amount of water supplied and consumed in the city?

Water is supplied on alternate days in the city. The figures below provide approximate statistics:

• As on July 2003 BWSSB water supply from rivers: 940 MLD.
• The population of the city within the BMP limits: 6.8 million approximately
• Jurisdiction: Bangalore Metropolitan Area
Currently 100 Wards of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and newly developed BDA Layouts.

• Average water consumed per day per person: 140 litres.
• Total water consumption through BWSSB supply, by other commercial enterprises: 100MLD.

These figures indicate a substantial loss in water between source and end supply.

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What is Unaccounted for Water?

Unaccounted for Water (UFW) is the difference between the bulk water supplied and the water effectively and legally delivered to consumers. It cannot be measured directly and estimates of UFW rely upon the accurate estimates of all components of the water supply system. Approximately 35% of treated water is lost per day.

Based on BWSSB records for the period 1996-2000, UFW has ranged between 28-33% on an annual basis.

The reliability of UFW estimates is however debatable, as several uncertainties are inherent in the data used to calculate UFW. This lack in clarity is due to:

• An absence of reliable meter reading at the major water sources
• An absence of measuring & metering on public taps water consumption
• Poor accuracy and serviceability of consumer metering, both residential as well as
commercial.

Based on past studies and BWSSB observations, it is suspected that a major portion of UFW recorded in existing distribution connections system is not from leakage and wastage, but in the form of consumption from unauthorized connections and due to tampering of meters.

The picture shows the fraction of water released that reaches the consumer:

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What are the reasons for Unaccounted for Water(UFW)?

The following are the primary reasons for UFW:
• Leakage from pipes in bulk water pipelines
• Leakage from pipes in the neighbourhood system
• Unauthorized connections and water theft
• Useful but unmetered usage such as fire fighting
• Breakages of pipes and wasteful use of water
• Faulty meters and malpractice in reading meters

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What are the methods of Unaccounted for Water(UFW) reduction?

In order to reduce UFW, some of the measures needed are as under:

• Ensuring that all domestic connections are metered and fairly charged.
• Replacement of old and broken domestic and industrial meters.
• Continuous water audit and monitoring
• Active leakage detection and control
• Best practices in leak repair & pipe-laying
• Robust and financially sustainable asset management practices.

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Can citizens play a role in reducing Unaccounted for Water(UFW)?

Yes. A decentralized system of water supply enables monitoring of leakages as well as petty water thefts.

BWSSB can sell water in bulk to the communities through their ward committees. These committees ensure accurate metering, payments, timely supply and repairs to pipes. A substantial saving in both resource and money is estimated.

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Who uses public taps and what are water delivery details for public taps?

The principal problem with water supply in the city is that it is inequitable and that the supply is irregular. Additionally, in order for the poor to access water services and authorized connections, they require land ownership documents, which they rarely possess.
The water that is provided to us costs the BWSSB Rs.16 per kilolitre, and the middle class population pays Rs.6.00 per kilolitre. This highly subsided rate of water must be provided to the poor and / or free connections must be given to those who cannot afford to buy water. There is an indirect subsidy given to the poor for the same, but there is strong need for a change in policy, where they can be given direct subsidy.

• The BWSSB had earlier decided to install public taps in economically backward areas and to ensure supply to those who cannot afford to have their own water connections.

• This has been discovered to be a major cause of revenue leakage, as the people accessing this water are largely those who can afford to pay for their connection, thereby defeating the very purpose of setting up public taps.

• The supply of water from such taps is not regularized. Inconvenient timings and irregular supplies greatly reduce their value and usage.

• BMP pays the ongoing monthly expense for such usage at a current average of Rs.3500. This is being paid for 18,000 taps.

• There are cases in slums where people are buying bore well water from the local water brokers at very expensive rates. This is because water supply from public taps is undependable, untimely and often times insufficient. The estimated money spent on water in the slums is anywhere between Rs.250 - Rs.600 per family. The water that is purchased is often contaminated leading to disease and medical expenses. Ironically, the average middle class household pays less for better quality and convenience than the poor.

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Is there a solution to the problem of public taps?

The possible solutions are:

• Direct connections to all households.
• Monitoring and maintenance of public taps by communities
• Heavy fines for water theft

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What is the timing methodology for the release of water?

The BWSSB presently supplies treated water to the city area on a "staggered" basis, as is common in many Indian cities where inadequate source and / or supply capacity is experienced.

The general minimum criteria for supply to BWSSB consumers are as follows:

• Domestic consumers receive supply for 3-4 hours on alternate days.
• Non-domestic consumers receive supply for 4-6 hours on alternate days.

This staggered or intermittent mode of supply is inherently problematic. It requires numerous manually operable valve joints that become water leakage conduits. It also increases the risk of contamination and wastage in the system and requires consumers to store water. An innovative approach to overcome the problem of leakage is being explored by creating water collection pits under the valve joints.

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What are the reasons of poor water pressure?

The primary reasons for poor water pressure are:
• Poor design of pipes
• Problems at water supply source such as inadequate volume, pumping failure, etc.
• Leakages in the pipelines

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What finally becomes of all the water we use?

Sewage generated within the city is about 500 MLD, from a population of about 6.8 million. 85% of water used finally flows into sewage.

The city has three Sewage Treatment Plants (STP's) with a total capacity of less than 200MLD.

The rest of the highly toxic sewage flows either into lakes or into the nearest water bodies. Effluents and other pollutants let into the sewage system, prove to be hazardous to our soil and the water table.

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Can sewage water be recycled and re-used?

Yes. As important as the water supply, is the system of treating used water. Bangalore is presently being supplied with 940MLD of water per day, 85% of which finally is reduced to sewage, which amounts to approximately 800MLD. This sewage can be recycled and reused.

In some developed countries, sewage is treated to an extent where it can be used as potable water.

There are three types of sewage treatment that are used in India. They are:

• Primary treatment: Screens are used for water sediment collection. All granular matter is removed. Dissolved organic matter is still present.

• Secondary treatment: Oxygen is let in for microbe action and digestion. This separates the sludge.

• Tertiary treatment: further filtration of the primary and secondary treated water is allowed into natural streams as raw water. This treatment results in clear, hygienic water, which can be used to recharge lakes. However, this water cannot be used for potable purposes.

The cost of tertiary quality STP's is extremely high. The BWSSB and other service providers are examining details to provide secondary treatment of sewage wherein it can be reused for non-potable purposes.

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Are there any health hazards due to leakages in sewage pipes? How best can it be avoided?

As a result of close proximity of both the Water network and the Sewage pipes there is a high possibility of mixing due to leakages and absorption. This poses a serious threat to the health of the consumers. The most effective ways of avoiding this problem are:

• Place the two networks at opposite ends or at adequate vertical distances from each other
• Replace the existing poor quality pipes with better quality. These in turn should be monitored on a regular basis for any leakages.

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What are the costs for new water and sewage connections - domestic and non-domestic?

Application for the above services can be submitted directly or through licensed plumber.

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