Bangalore University will investigate the efficient use of wastewater amid the city’s water shortage
Bangalore University (BU) will lead research on the relevant use of wastewater as the city prepares for a water shortage in the near future.
To systematically investigate wastewater management and recycled water consumption in Bengaluru, the university and Waste Water Management Illinois, USA, have inked a Memorandum of Understanding. A comprehensive study on treatment methods, contaminants, regulatory frameworks, water reuse and recycling, green infrastructure, energy recovery, smart technologies, climate change resilience, public involvement, and problem-solving strategies will be carried out for a year utilizing available data.
Inayathulla M, Director of the Water Institute at the University of Visvesvarya College of Engineering and BU, told TNIE that this study is urgently needed since Bengaluru is about to have a water crisis. The initiative’s main goals will be to provide a substitute supply of water for tertiary usage and to repurpose current water. Our supplies are now restricted to borewells and water from the Cauvery. Efforts will be undertaken to produce potable water from wastewater by bringing together all stakeholders and specialists from Waste Water Management Illinois, he said.
The Director, who also serves as an adviser to the wastewater management technical advisory committee (TAC), continued by saying that a thorough study would help launch a “water balance” and “decentralized use of wastewater.”
“Demand for water is increasing despite the continuous decline in water quality,” said Jayakar SM, Vice Chancellor of Bengaluru University. We will carry out this study as it is crucial in this situation to determine how best to use and manage water.
Stakeholders in the study will include specialists in water and wastewater management, business executives, academics, government officials, and environmentalists. The Ashoka Trust For Research In Ecology And The Environment (ATREE), Rotary Club, BWSSB, and BBMP are also partners in the project. In 2025, there will be a global conference and exhibition on the subject.
