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Bengaluru’s Water Crisis: Polluted Rivers and Failing Solutions

Once pristine, Bengaluru’s rivers now carry toxic industrial effluents, domestic sewage, and solid waste, highlighting a severe ecological collapse. Iconic examples like Bellandur Lake’s infamous foam and fires underscore the city’s water crisis. Nearby, Kelavarapalli and Byramangala dams face similar pollution, with toxic foam occasionally spilling onto roads.

A key case is the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir (TGR) on the Arkavathi River, which supplied Bengaluru’s drinking water until the 1990s. Rampant urbanization and industrial waste have transformed it into a channel for untreated wastewater. Data from March 2024 revealed 143 MLD of untreated sewage flows into TGR daily, matching the 1.8 TMC of clean water it’s slated to receive under the ₹23,251.66 crore Yettinahole Drinking Water Project. This renders the costly inflow ineffective as it gets polluted almost immediately.

Attempts to divert wastewater downstream face hurdles, as nearby reservoirs like Manchanabele Dam are critical water sources for Ramanagara and Bengaluru. Meanwhile, the root causes—industrial pollution, phosphates in detergents, and harmful chemicals like triclosan and microplastics—remain unchecked. Nature-based solutions are touted as remedies, but they fail to address synthetic, non-biodegradable pollutants like hexavalent chromium, phthalates, and dioxins.

Experts stress prevention over cleanup. Enforcing the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, banning harmful chemicals, and better industrial waste management are critical steps. However, without collective political, corporate, and societal will, Bengaluru’s drinking water crisis will only deepen.

Read Also;

Haveri City’s Water Crisis: Government’s Promises Despite Heavy Investments

Bengaluru Faces Imminent Water Crisis, Experts Warn

 

 

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