Sustained pressure from residents and associations against an “impractical” order dictating Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) in apartments have caused the authorities to rethink. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has written to the State government to “modify” the rules that has seen stiff penalties imposed on residential apartments with more than 20 dwelling units which do not have a functioning STP.
The rules had set a deadline of end of October 2016 for STPs to be installed, after which nearly 3,730 apartments have received notices or have been penalised.
With stiff resistance mounting, the BWSSB had recently framed their request to dilute the rules, particularly for smaller apartments that have lesser than 20 units.
The proposal, which is awaiting approval by the State government, says that only apartments lesser than 50 units which have sought water and sanitary connections after January 1, 2016 (the date of the Government Order mandating STPs) will have to install STPs. This leniency should also extend to educational institutes below 10,000 sq.m. in their built-up area, states the BWSSB.
For existing buildings above these specifications, the BWSSB has sought for an extension of time — till the end of the year — to implement the penalties. BWSSB has even said it would refund the penalties already collected.
Many smaller apartments and experts believed that the costly process of setting up and maintaining an STP is financially unviable in many areas of the city. Since the deadline of October 2016, BWSSB had imposed penalties on apartments of 25% of their water bill for three months; and 50% for months subsequently (50% penalty for six months and 100% thereafter for non-domestic buildings).
“For now, the exemption on smaller apartments sought is fantastic and is in line with what we have been demanding,” said M.S. Shankar, convenor of Fight for RERA – Karnataka Chapter. However, with the same set of rules applying for “larger apartments”, Mr. Shankar said, “Space is not a problem for these apartments, but the government should also look at the structural issues in redesigning the entire plumbing system to accommodate dual-piping system (that is, reuse of treated water for gardens or toilet flushes).”
