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New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
BWSSB regularises 1,325 illegal connections, nets Rs 142.66 crore
BENGALURU: BWSSB has regularised 1,325 unauthorised sanitary and water connections in its limits by collecting fines and installation fees amounting to Rs 142.66 crore. It launched a drive against unauthorised connections two months ago. During the drive, BWSSB disconnected such connections and issued notices, asking the violators to pay fines and fees towards regularisation. Officials of the board, who collected data from Bescom, found 43,000 unauthorised sanitary and water connections. They also identified 383 apartment complexes which had taken connections without BBMP approvals. 'When the violators did not pay heed to notices, a team from BWSSB launched a disconnection drive. Action against the violators resulted in the collection of Rs 142.66 crore,' an official said. BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar earlier stated that the board had identified 383 apartment complexes which had unauthorised sanitary connections. Because of such unauthorised connections, the pressure on the pipes increased, resulting in punctures and leakages. Maintenance of the sanitary network has become a big challenge for the board because of such unauthorised connections taken by developers and owners of apartment complexes. The board is expecting Rs 200 crore from errant owners of apartment complexes.
New Indian Express
02-08-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Illegal connections: BWSSB sends notices to 338 homes
BENGALURU: The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which had claimed it is struggling financially and making efforts to shape up, has begun sending notices to 383 homes and apartment complexes over unauthorised water connections, and urged them to get the connections regularised by paying fees along with penalties. Board Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said untreated water from apartments is a big challenge to the board, so they have imposed penalties ranging from a few lakhs to Rs 1crore, depending on the size of the complex. 'By regularizing these connections and imposing penalties, BWSSB is hoping to generate Rs 200 crore in revenue,' he said, adding that since the past 15 days, BWSSB is disconnecting services, and in the next 15 days, the process of regularization will be taken up. The chairman also stated that the BWSSB team used Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) connection data and probed unauthorized BWSSB connections. So far, it has recorded 43,000 such connections across Bengaluru, and officials are following up cases to ensure owners get their connections regularized. A senior official from the BWSSB waste water management said the crackdown on large apartment complexes is to ensure that untreated water comes into the BWSSB's record so plans can be made to ensure contaminated water is treated before it reaches storm water drains and lakes.
New Indian Express
08-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
BWSSB to plant 60,000 saplings to commemorate diamond jubilee
As part of diamond jubilee celebrations, the BWSSB has launched a large-scale tree plantation drive titled 'Green Path - Water's Future', with the aim of planting 60,000 saplings across its jurisdiction, said BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar on Monday. Inaugurating the campaign at the GKVK campus, Manohar symbolically planted 60 sapling varieties. 'A green environment is essential for both water conservation and ecological balance. Citizens must contribute by planting trees in their surroundings to make our city greener and more beautiful. BWSSB owns several land parcels across Bengaluru, and our aim is to convert them into green zones,' he said. Manohar further noted that the campaign, inspired by World Environment Day, aims to plant 60,000 saplings over the coming year under the guiding theme — 'Green Path - Water's Future'. To encourage broader participation, BWSSB has appealed to bulk water users, including apartment complexes, industries, tech parks, and educational institutions to actively join the campaign. They are being asked not only to plant saplings within their premises, but also to take responsibility for their upkeep and maintenance. Additionally, all BWSSB divisions and offices have been instructed to take the lead in planting trees in their respective areas and service zones.
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
BWSSB opens bulk booking for BIS-certified ‘Sanchari Cauvery' water for Bengaluru apartments
With numerous apartment complexes spread across the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), especially in the newer areas or on the outskirts, the growing demand for water has put immense strain on groundwater resources, especially due to extraction by private suppliers. To address this, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has now introduced bulk booking for its 'Sanchari Cauvery' water supply service. The Sanchari Cauvery initiative delivers Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)-certified drinking water to residential communities, including apartments and housing complexes. BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said the initiative has been started to reduce excessive dependence on groundwater and maintain water balance in the city How will the process work Booking will be on a first-come, first-served basis Minimum one month advance payment is mandatory System in place to ensure uninterrupted supply through bulk booking Option available to book for a duration of one year Highlighting the situation on the city's outskirts, Mr. Manohar noted that most apartments rely heavily on groundwater. 'People here are buying water through tankers to meet their drinking water needs. Tankers are also supplying water collected from borewells. This is increasing the pressure on groundwater. The BWSSB has taken the decision to reduce this and provide BIS-certified clean drinking water. From now on, apartments will be able to book the BWSSB's drinking water through tankers for their year-round water needs,' he said. According to the BWSSB, the booking system will operate on a first-come, first-served basis and can be accessed through the board's official website or designated contact points. Apartment associations are required to make an advance payment equivalent to at least one month's supply. Describing the project's scale and innovation, the BWSSB Chairman said, 'The Sanchari Cauvery project is India's first technologically advanced tanker project, which is providing essential water to the city through GPS tracking, supply stratification, and supply control centres.' He emphasised the board's long-term vision, stating, 'The BWSSB is transforming into a people's water board. Our aim is to ensure a secure water future for the next generation of Bengaluru. In this regard, this project has been extended to apartments as well with the aim of reducing dependence on groundwater.'
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
BWSSB to up sewage treatment capacity by 470 MLD in 26 new STPs by year-end
The Bangalore Water Treatment and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is working towards adding 470 MLD capacity to treat sewage in 26 new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) by the end of 2025. This would mean an addition of around 35% sewage treatment capacity to the existing 1,348.5 MLD capacity in 34 STPs, and take the city's treatment capacity to 1,818.5 MLD. The biggest of them all is coming at the Vrishabhavathi Valley, Mysuru Road, with a capacity of 150 MLD, followed by STPs at Hebbal and Horamavu of 60 MLD capacity each. Significantly, 14 of these new STPs with a combined capacity of 124 MLD are coming up in the 110 villages which are getting new water connections and Underground Drainage (UGD) lines. 'We are working towards completing these ongoing projects by December 2025. Many of the STPs in the 110 villages will be completed much before that as well,' said V. Ram Prasath Manohar, Chairman, BWSSB. 'Once these STPs are commissioned, our capacity to treat sewage will go up significantly. We are also investing in tertiary treatment of this water to ensure its use in the city for non-drinking purposes and filling lakes. This way we will conserve a lot of water,' he added. However, there is not enough demand for treated water from the existing STPs itself. Sources said the demand for treated water has fallen compared to the summer of 2024, when there was a severe water crisis. Gap in treatment capacity still remains The city currently has infrastructure to draw up to 2,220 MLD water from the Cauvery river, of which around 1,800 MLD is being drawn. This is expected to go up as more new connections are given under the Cauvery V Stage. In addition, the usage of groundwateris tough to quantify, which means thateven with these 26 new STPs (adding to a total treatment capacity of 1,818.5 MLD), there will still be a big gap in the city's treatment capacity. A survey taken up by the board after laying 1,538 km long UGD lines and building 14 STPs at a cost of ₹925 crore in 110 villages, shows that these areas still need over 400 km of UGD lines and 9 more STPs, which is estimated to cost around ₹850 crore. The board is expecting to take up these works under the World Bank's Karnataka Water Security and Resilience Programme, under which the international agency is giving a loan of ₹3,500 crore, and BWSSB is expected to get over ₹1,000 crore.
