With the water crisis continuing in Bengaluru and the water conservation norms of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) getting stricter, there has been a spike in demand for rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in the city.
In March, service providers saw a large number of customers seeking consultation for apartment complexes and commercial buildings as they turned to long-term solutions to meet their water needs as borewells ran dry and tanker prices skyrocketed.
“In September and December, when there was no rain, we hardly used to get any inquiry. One or two inquiries per day used to be the norm. Now, because of the water scarcity in the city, I get 20 to 25 calls every day,” said Vivek Chandra, owner of Nesara Rainwater Harvesting in Rajarajeshwari Nagar. He said that while he has been in business for 12 years now, this is the first time such interest has been observed.
Meanwhile, Manjunath C., the owner of Sri Ram Rain Water Harvesting in Kasturinagar, said this was the first time he received so many calls in the six years of his business. Many callers approach him when their borewells have dried up. “We usually recommend the clients to fit recharge filters instead of wasting the rainwater,” he said.
Space, cost constraints
“For a smaller residence on a 30x40 site, it costs around ₹10,000 - ₹12,000. For a bigger apartment, it goes with the existing piping system that they have. If the builder has given proper rainwater piping, the cost will be within the normal range. If the builder has not provided conducive piping, then new pipes have to be laid for the rainwater harvesting and the cost will be a little higher,” Mr. Chandra said.
Concerns about the space and cost of the RWH systems have kept many customers from getting these systems installed on their premises.
A resident of an apartment complex in Shantinagar said, “We considered installing an RWH, however, there is not enough space on the premises for rainwater to be collected.”
Many apartment complexes and residential societies also see it as an additional cost for now as they are already shelling out for water tankers to meet the immediate shortage faced by the residents
“In the past month, I have given consultations and estimates for at least 20 apartments. But still, many are yet to take action because they are waiting for the rains. Some are still in the process of collecting money in their society, which is a challenge for the (residents’) associations,” said Mr. Chandra.
However, service providers say that without worrying about space and costs, customers can also opt for ways to reuse rainwater.
“If they want to reuse the rainwater, hardly any space is needed for the installation. We just have to connect the pipes coming from the rooftop to a filter. The filtered water can be collected in their existing storage tank,” said Manjunath. The BWSSB has made it mandatory for new residences constructed on 30x40 feet sites and old constructions on 60x40 feet and above sites to either recharge the groundwater table by harvesting rainwater or store it in a sump or a tank. While 1,96,591 residential buildings have implemented RWH systems in the city, 39,213 buildings have not. Every month, the water Board collects at least ₹1.98 crore - ₹2 crore as a penalty for non-implementation of RWH systems.
