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Can Treated Wastewater Be the Answer To Bengaluru’s Water Crisis?

Here's where the fate of the city can change. And it may start with a change in perspective.

by Sanjana Shenoy
Can Treated Wastewater Be the Answer To Bengaluru’s Water Crisis?

Once upon a time, Bengaluru was called the ‘City of Lakes’. Today, amid the hottest summers and and severe water shortage it has unfortunately become the ‘City of Tankers’ as many apartment complexes are sustaining their daily water requirement through tankers. Here’s where the fate of the city can change. And it may start with a change in perspective. Perhaps, treated wastewater could be the answer to Bengaluru’s water crisis.

Bengaluru Could Meet Growing Water Needs By Consumption Of Treated Wastewater

According to a report by The Telegraph India, the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru in 2016 cracked down on a way Bengaluru could stay water surplus. The report suggested the city could meet its water needs by treating sewage water.

Gopidas, a software engineer from Amazon stated to The Telegraph that in 2023 some apartment owners of Emmanuel Heights in Sarjapur proposed to set up a sewage treatment plant. However, it was an arduous climb for them to get other residents on board. The icky factor made many detest having to drink water even though it was completely treated. Many refused to even use treated water to water their plants.

S Vishwanath, director of Biome Environmental Solutions strongly advocates the consumption of treated wastewater. He believes it’s all in the mind as science has already proven that it’s perfectly safe to drink treated wastewater. Founder and CEO of Zerodha and Rainmatter Foundation, Nithin Kamath stated wastewater could be a solution for Bengaluru’s water crisis. While some people agreed with him many others were repulsed by this idea.

Also Read: Driver Shares Video Of Narrow Miss On The Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway; Urges Authorities To Take Action

Experts: Science Backs It But Need To Remove Psychological Barriers

Boson White Water is a Bengaluru-based firm that converts wastewater into potable water. Vikas Brahmavar, one of its founders stated that it will take time to break through the psychological barrier and convince people to drink treated wastewater. He believes that there is no guarantee that the water from water tankers is safe for consumption in the first place. After all, one doesn’t know its exact source.

 

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Well, it could be a way forward to navigate Bengaluru’s concerning water shortage crisis which may only get worse with time. When it comes to treated wastewater, it could be just a matter of perspective. Do you see the glass as half full or half empty?

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