The government has made Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) mandatory for apartments and it would effectively monitor the private STPs in the coming days, Deputy CM G Parameshwara said.
Parameshwara, also the Bengaluru Development Minister, said the government has so far been only telling that the STPs are mandatory and did not enforce the order. From now on, it would ensure apartments have STPs and would monitor them through its agency.
Inspecting the ongoing augmentation work of the STP at Koramangala and Chalaghatta, Parameshwara said Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will have the capacity to treat 1,572 million litres (ml) of wastewater a day by 2020.
He said Bengaluru is generating 1,440 ml of wastewater, about 1,057 ml of which is treated currently. If water and underground drainage work come up in the 110 villages on the city outskirts, a further 129 ML of water would be added.
Koramangala and Chalaghatta valley is treating about 308 ml of wastewater per day at the moment and in the next few months, another 150 ml STP plant will be ready.
Besides this, the Board is also generating power through the biogas plant using the sludge coming out of the STPs.
Parameshwara said the BWSSB generates about 40% of the electricity needed to run the motors.
A BWSSB engineer agreed that power is generated from the 60 MLD capacity plant, but he said only 20% of the wastewater is treated and the rest is discharged into the Bellandur Lake.
The power generation plant produces about 1.5 lakh kilowatt-hour per month, adding to the total requirement of 9 lakh kilowatt hour and saving Rs 7.5 lakh per month for the Board.
Parameshwara said there is a demand for treated water in Kolar, where seven lakes have been replenished. The government also plans to discharge water to Anekal and replenish lakes in the city.
The minister earlier visited the tertiary treatment plant in Cubbon Park, which was augmented from 1.5 mld to 4 mld.
He said though the wastewater treated at the tertiary plant is good enough for consumption, it would be used for non-potable purposes in Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha, High Court of Karnataka and surrounding government buildings.
In a nutshell
Bengaluru is generating 1,440 ml of wastewater per day
About 1,057 ml of wastewater is currently treated
BWSSB will build about 1,572 ml capacity of STP
About 308 ml of wastewater treated at Koramangala and Chalaghatta valley
A 150 ml plant will be inaugurated to augment total STP capacity to 458 ml