After segregation of garbage at source, the State government takes a jab at treating sewage at homes to tackle the dual issues of increasing sewage inflow into lakes as well as water shortfall.
A gazette notification of the Forest, Ecology and Environment Department – a copy of which is with The Hindu – which has been sent to various town planning and utilities departments now makes it mandatory for all residential buildings with more than 20 housing units to build an sewage treatment plant (STP) as well as “reuse” the water.
Similarly ambitious is the regulation of commercial complexes with more than 2,000 square metres built-up area or educational institutes with more than 5,000 square metres to treat all their sewage.
The gazette notification – which is to be implemented in upcoming projects – replaces previous regulations that had mandated all apartments with more than 100 dwelling units.
On the reasons for the drastic steps, the department notes that urban tanks are now severely polluted and in particular believes treating sewage at source would aid in the rejuvenation of Bellandur and Varthur lakes.
“The foams and ignition phenomena observed in the Bellandur Amani Lake and Varthur Lake in Bengaluru in the recent past are the manifestations of the severity of the problem… (inspection has revealed that) increasing discharge of untreated wastewater containing abnormal quantity of organic matter, phosphorus, oil and grease, chemicals from detergents and cleaners etc. over a long period (has caused it to settle as sediment),” says the notification. It goes on to state that the reuse of water will aid in lowering the shortage of fresh water in the city.
With the notification being sent to the department of municipal administration as well as the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, the regulations will come into effect in smaller corporations such as Mysuru, Mangaluru, Belagavi among others as well as the industrial areas in the State.
Ramachandra, Secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology Department, said implementation was expected to be thorough as officers will be booked for violations. “If any civic authority gives permission for construction without an STP plan, the officer and even the organization can be held culpable,” he said.
Who has to compulsorily build a Sewage Treatment Plant now?
* Residential projects with more than 20 housing units
* Commercial projects with more than 2,000 sq.m. built-up area
* Educational institutions with more than 5,000 sq.m. built-up area
* Townships, area development projects spanning 10 acres or above
STPs in Bengaluru
* 592 STPs taken consent from KSPCB
* Total treatment capacity: 1.42 lakh kilo litres – equivalent to more than 14,200 water tankers
* Little more than one-third of the water estimated to be reused, rest down the drain
* KSPCB sample inspections find more than half of STPs are non-complaint
Cost of STP
* Installation estimated between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh
* Cost of treated water: Rs. 40 to 60 per kilolitre
* Cost of BWSSB water: Rs. 22 per kl
* Cost of tanker water: Rs. 80 per kl
* It is beneficial only if number of apartments is at least 80; and if source of water is only through tankers
* STP is cost effective only if number of apartments size is above 150
* Here, cost of operating STP is between Rs. 350 to Rs. 1,000
Who has to do what
* KSPCB: Technical assistance and consent for STPs based on potential sewage outflow
* BBMP, BMRDA, BDA, urban local bodies, industrial areas: Approve plan for construction only with KSPCB consent
* BWSSB: Provide water connection only after KSPCB consent
* Electricity supply companies: Provide permanent power connections only after KSPCB consent
Attempts at treating sewage at source:
* 2010: only residential, commercial projects above 20,000 sq.m. to build STPs
* 2015: Central Pollution Control Board dictates that all apartments with more than 50 units should treat sewage and reuse water
(Source: KSPCB; research by ATREE; Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment)
