BENGALURU: Starting at Rs 8 per kilolitre, The Bangalore Apartment Federation (BAF) has signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to sell treated water from apartment complexes and gated communities for commercial purposes.
Satish Mallya, Vice President of BAF, said that money is not the primary agenda of supplying the STP water but it is about ensuring water does not get wasted. “Money is also important but not the only thing; it will certainly help in logistics, labor, and maintenance, but we strongly believe in sustainability,” he said.
The water supplied by the STP should meet the standards mandated by the National Green Tribunal. On March 22, BWSSB issued an order permitting residential communities to sell 50% of the STP-treated water they generate on a commercial basis, and it can be used for any purpose except in the food and medicine industries.
This move comes after the board banned the use of potable water- both Cauvery River and borewell for nonessential purposes, mandating the use of treated water for construction and other purposes.
“There are nearly 3500 STPs in the residential communities of the city, which contribute to 720 million liters per day (MLD) capacity to treat sewage water every day, even after using treated water for flushing, gardening purposes within communities, we believe at least 300 MLD of water can be used for construction purposes,” Mallya told TOI.
Adding: “It has taken great efforts to convince government officials and also get it in the 2023 Congress Manifesto to permit us to sell the treated water for good use. Now is the right time to do it considering the water crisis in Bengaluru.”
Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar BWSSB, chairman told TOI that the Confederation of Real Estate Development Association of India (CREDAI) will be buying this excess water from BAF while BWSSB will be the facilitator for the same.
“The STP water collected from apartments will be supplied to the nearby construction site, to avoid heavy transportation charges and other logistical challenges,” Ram said. BAF will be selling water at Rs 8 per kiloliter of which Rs 2 goes to BWSSB as facilitation charges.
Furthermore, BAF will also supply STP water to fill lakes but free of cost, said the officials, and plans are being chalked out for that.
