No more dry spells at DHOBI GHAT.

No more dry spells at DHOBI GHAT.

All good omens for the dhobi ghat and the residents of Malleshwaram area in Bangalore.

Of the many dhobi ghats in Bangalore, the one is Malleswaram is spread over six acres. It lies in the downstream of Sankey Tank. This dhobi ghat was once a natural water body. Decades ago, it was converted into a dhobi ghat, where 250-300  workers wash clothes in shifts. Earlier, the sources of water were streams of the Vrushabavathi River.  

 With time, these streams dried up because of the proliferation of open wells and borewells in the vicinity. Houses and establishments upstream discharged sewage into the storm water drain which ran right through the dhobi ghat. Left with little choice, the washer men had to use polluted water, which they collected in huge ponds. They added hefty quantities of detergents and chemicals into cement-ring tanks with their bare hands, leaving them vulnerable to burns and infection. The clothes with chemicals were rinsed in the huge ponds, leaving the water even more murky and contaminated. The ponds were drained by unplugging valves at the bottom once in three-four days. The dirty water was released in to the Vrushabhvathi.

 The dhobi ghat had a huge well, which went dry 20 years ago. The BBMP got four borewells dug 18 years ago but all went dry within no time. Water was then pumped from a public borewell behind Kadu Malleswara Temple in Malleswaram and piped to dhobi ghat. Fights broke out between the washermen and the local residents. Soon, even this water yield began to decline.

Distraught, the dhobis approached Government. Government requested the Senir Scientist A R Shivakumar at KSCST, Indian Institute of Science to come up with a solution.

 The solution

The dhobi ghat has a steep slope from east to west and north to south. The tanks are built in the valley at the lowest level. The highest ridge is on the eastern side and a huge open well is located at this point. As the rainwater collection area inside the dhobi ghat is not conducive for systematic collection, it was decided to harvest runoff water from the stormwater drain on 15^th Cross of Malleswaram, starting from Bashyam Circle in Sadashivnagar. The paved road on 15^th Cross has a stormwater drain on either side that carries rainwater from east to west.

 The upstream stormwater from the stormwater drain on the roadside at the north-eastern corner of the dhobi ghat is collected with a system of first flush separator, leaf slide, silt trap and a pebble filter for subsequent storage. The huge quantity of stormwater is systematically processed.

 During low rainfall and lean flow periods, water in the storm water drain (which carries pollutants) is not allowed into the water storage system.

 During periods of heavy rainfall and higher flow, the debris, leaf litter and suspended particles such as plastic covers are allowed over the leaf slide and relatively cleaner water percolates to silt traps. The silt settles in these traps and clean water passing through the filter bed is allowed to flow into the open well in the dhobi ghat which is 60 ft deep.

 The rainwater harvested in this manner is temporarily get stored in the open well and it also recharges the ground water. The overflow from the well is connected to 4 underground sumps (of 1 lakh litre capacity each) which are built strategically in the open space located beside and behind a temple inside the dhobi ghat. The extra rainwater from one of the underground sumps is allowed to flow into one of the existing borewells for ground water recharge.

The stored water from the underground sumps is directly piped, without pumping, into the wash area as these tanks are located at an elevation.

This intervention has mitigated the water crisis to a large extent. The 60 ft deep well, which had gone dry, is now full of water through the year. Two of the four borewells have been recharged. All good omens for the dhobi ghat and the residents of the area.

Namma Metro - the biggest clean roof of Bangalore to Harvest Rainwater

Namma Metro - the biggest clean roof of Bangalore to Harvest Rainwater

Namma Metro has a potential to harvest around 300 Million Liter RAINWATER every year

Metro rail infrastructure in Bangalore has created rapid mass transport and also created one of the largest roofs in public space.

 As the metro rail viaducts are elevated and are not in reach of public or other animals, the surface is relatively clean. Also the trains are electric and will have no diesel or oil spills. The passenger cars are air-conditioned with fixed windows, which will prevent littering. This logically bring in the idea of harvesting rainwater from the largest roof of Bangalore - around 4,60, 000 sq. m.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) is one of the urban utilities to have adopted rainwater harvesting in a massive and practical way. The Metro has made simple arrangements to catch all the rainwater that falls on its station areas and use the same for non-potable uses.

 The metro Reach 1 to Reach 4 has 44 stations and 33 of them are over ground. The roof are available in these infrastructures can be of two types.

1.  Viaduct with 8.8 meter and

2.  Roof of the station above ground

The stations form a roof area at high density traffic flow and commercial activities.

The Viaduct run all along the motor roads and is elevated.

Every raindrop that falls on Bangalore roads will only go down the drain. But every drop that falls on the Metro corridor can be harvested. Each of the six stations on the Metro's operational stretch between MG Road and Byappanahalli have water tanks of one lakh liter capacity each, to store rainwater.

The rainwater from the viaduct flows in the direction of the natural gradient as of the ground / road below. The flow of this water on the top of the viaduct is directed to the centre and finally reaches the grating at the centre of the pillar.

It is proposed to harvest roof top rainwater from Stations and Viaduct. The roof top rainwater from stations is a high volume flow at a busy junction and it is proposed to channelize this water through underground pipes either under the road / foot path on inside storm water drain sidewalk. The rainwater pipes through this underground system is discharged into a system of first flush lock and filtration system underground at a nearest open space / park / playground / parking area. The filtered rainwater is temporarily stored in an underground sump. The stored water will be pumped up and taken for final processing. Similarly the water collected from the stockyards and rising range of the station is also tapped / harvested.

The stored rainwater can be treated at storing or treated on line while pumping. The rainwater being pure form of water does not have salt and minerals or chemicals which are undesirable. Treating filtered rainwater is only by chlorination to remove bacterial contamination.

The rainwater flowing on the viaduct can be handled in two ways:

1.      Collecting the discharge from pillars at ground level and laying a trunk line along the viaduct next to the pillar under the road following the centre of the gradient. This trunk line leads water to a central location at a park.

2.      Collect rainwater directly below the grading at the top of the pillars and run a trunk line in the hollow portion of the viaduct. The pipe will follow the contour and gradient of the viaduct.

The trunk line at a suitable point can be drawn out at an intersection at the top of the pillar and below the Viaduct separate intersections.

Highlights of Rainwater Harvesting @ Namma Metro:

	Metro Rail
	Total length	42300	m.
	E-W Corridor (Phase-1)	18100	m.
	N-S Corridor (Phase-2)	24200	m.
	Width of segments	12	m.
	Below ground length	8822	m.
	Above ground length	33478	m.
	Number of Stations	41	No.
	Stations above Ground	32	No.
	Each Station Roof Area	4925	Sq. m.
	Roof Area-Biyappanahalli Depot	48552	Sq. m.

The above proposal is only the suggestion from KSCST, IISc, Bangalore.

Fire Station -MAKE A RUN FOR IT!

Fire Station - Make a run for it!

The fire station at Rajajinagar Bangalore can teach you what a rescue operation entails. It can also impart valuable lessons in water conservation

Firemen primarily tackle fire accidents, right? They also help during natural calamities, evacuating people to safety. Their main job remains fire-fighting, for which water is their primary raw material. Water, in any fire station, is stored in a large underground sump. Every fire station has a dedicated, express water line provided by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board. The service is unmetered.

 However, for months on end, a fire station may not receive a distress call. The equipment, which lies unused, may not work when required. So, mock drills are conducted every week. But mock drills consume a lot of water. 

The Karnataka State Council for Science & Technology decided to take up rainwater harvesting at the 2-acre Rajajinagar fire station as part of its work in public spaces. As fire stations do not need potable quality water, Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology suggested that the fire station harvest its roof-top rainwater.
Water collected from the roof (area 300 sq. m.) is filtered and stored in an underground sump. An additional sump with a capacity of 60,000 liter is built. This sump can fill 10 fire trucks. It also nurtures a lovely garden.

Rainwater Quenches Fire

The Karnataka Fire and Emergency Services department is a department of the Government of Karnataka that is the foremost disaster management body in Karnataka, India. Among the 17 fire stations in Bangalore, Rajajinagar fire station at Rajajinagar Industrial town has implemented rainwater harvesting. The total plot of the fire station in Rajajinagar is 8, 094 sq. m. with Rooftop area of 297 sq. m. Currently the water supply to the fire station is from BWSSB and borewell meets the per days demand of 5, 000 liter. Existing 60,000 liter sump will be used to store rainwater.

The rainwater flowing through the down water pipes is filtered through four PopUp filters and stored in an existing 60, 000 liter underground sump. With 971 mm average rainfall of Bangalore, the total annual rainwater potential from roof area of 297 sq. m. is around 2, 16, 000 liter.  The water stored in the underground sump is being subsequently used for secondary purpose like gardening, washing, flushing, vehicle washing, fire fighting, equipment, etc., The total roof area of the building is 297 sq. m. and the annual potential of rainwater is around 2, 16, 000 liter. With existing Underground sump storage of 60,000 liter. in total for rainwater, the total requirement of 18, 25, 000 liter is being met for 54 days in a year.

Vidhana Soudha - Miracle in Stone, Brick and Mortar

Vidhana Soudha - Miracle in Stone, Brick and Mortar

Vidhana Soudha is very, very special, especially to someone obsessed with roofs and walls and drains! Go around the entire building and you will not see a single rainwater pipe anywhere. This is because Vidhana Soudha has been designed as an inward-looking building, which means that water flows into the two courtyards.

There are down water pipes on the walls of these courtyards. Rainwater is discharged at the ground level and goes into an underground drain. But again, no one seemed to know where this drain is located. I nosed around and discovered a well-formed tunnel, again 15 ft below ground level, towards the southern side of the building. But my joy was short-lived. I couldn’t find the exit point of this tunnel and I couldn’t find any drawings of the building’s drainage system.

However, all that scrambling on the roof of the High Court had taught me some valuable lessons! I took a few bottles of blue ink, mixed it in buckets of water and poured the coloured water through the down water pipes in Vidhana Soudha. Again, I went around the building to see if I could catch sight of the inky blue trail!

And here’s what I discovered:

·         There are no drains within a 1/2-km radius of Vidhana Soudha. But 1 ½ km away – at Century Club’s rear gate – the tunnel that I discovered opens! The inky blue water had started coming out of this drain, a good 1 ½ km away, after 30 minutes of my having poured it down the roof of Vidhana Soudha!

·         Unfortunately, the water had got mixed with sewage and discharge from nearby canteens, rendering it useless. Treating this water would be like treating sewage!

Returning to Vidhana Soudha, I decided to collect rainwater in a ‘ring main’ inside the building. Vertical pipes were interlinked on the walls of Vidhana Soudha at a certain height above ground level where they would not intercept doors, windows or porticos etc. Water from these pipes could be channeled to a filteration point, but where?

·         Water cannot be stored inside the courtyards because they have hard rock beneath the surface.

·         Water cannot be brought out of a building which has 5 ft-thick walls made of solid stone!

We were very lucky to find 2 weak points in the entire building which we exploited to the hilt!

Vidhana Soudha has a basement on the Southern side near the Archaeology Department and Treasury. Through the ventilator in the basement, we laid two 12-inch pipes and constructed filtration systems.

The water was routed underground to the garden area and collected in 2 large underground sumps – one that lies between Vikasa Soudha and Vidhana Soudha near Gopala Gowda Circle, and the other which is located next to Kengal Hanumathaiah’s statue. The harvested rainwater is used round the year to keep the gardens around Vidhana Soudha green.

Currently 50% of the roof area on the southern side of the Vidhana Soudha is being considered for RWH.  With annual rainfall of 971 mm, total roof top rainwater available per year is 53,20,000 liter.

Cool solution to save Energy.

Cool solution to save Energy.

 Our house becomes truly eco friendly, when we use less electrical energy, water and LPG.

·        As thumb rule say, energy consumption per person per month is around 160 -100 KwH. This means an average family uses 400-500 units of electricity a month.

·        The WHO standard of water consumption is 135 litres per person per day.

·        14 kg LPG cylinder is expected to last a family for two months.

Points to adopt for huge savings of your Energy and Money.

  ·   Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) or LED lights. Replacement of CFLs will save 80% energy for same light output

 ·      Install solar water heater with electrical heaters instead of geysers in all the bathrooms.

• Energy saving from solar water heaters is close to 40% for domestic use.

   ·    Set the thermostat in the    geyser / solar water heater hot water tank at 50^o and avoid                                                                         overheating of water to 60 or 70^o.

                                                        Heat losses are higher at high temperatures.

·        Paint walls with light color / pastel paints to brighten rooms. This will result in less use of artificial lighting.

·        A ‘zero watt’ bulb is a misnomer. It is actually a 15 watt bulb and it consumes power equivalent to CFL to light up a big room.

·        Switch off TV/Computer/Music system through switch and not through remote when not in use for long time. The ghost load consumption of electricity takes away lots of energy.

·        Use energy efficient equipment. Observe energy efficiency rating on appliances and gadgets like water pumps, refrigerators, washing machines etc., before you buy them (5-star rating is the best).

·        Paint your roof top white and reflect the sun’s heat. You may discover that you don’t really need fans.

·        Use a pressure cooker to cook rice, dal and vegetables. Avoid cooking in open vessels. Cooking in pressure cooker saves fuel upto 50%.

·        Make sure that your pond with aquatic plants and guppy fish is positioned next to your windows. This will ensure that you get cool breeze, taking away the need for air-conditioners or fans.

·        Avoid mindless generation of waste. Every kilogram of waste that has to be transported to landfills nearly 50 kms. away from the city, have a huge fuel cost (diesel that dump trucks use costs money). Over 60% of waste generated in house-holds is organic and can be treated at home.

·        Avoid using your car when you can cycle or walk. When you are driving, stop and switch off the engine when the traffic light turns red. 

Beedi workers look up towards clouds to quench their thirst

Beedi workers look up towards clouds to quench their thirst

Little drops of water make a mighty splash

In every crisis lies an opportunity. Here is one such inspiring story

Autos are used to ferry commuters around the city, right? Well, in a little hamlet on the outskirts, an “enterprising” auto driver found it more profitable to stock pots of water in his auto and hawk them at high rates to needy families than to ply his vehicle on the potholed roads!

The ‘Beedi Workers’ Colony is a low income group housing society in the outskirts of  Bangalore, Where there are 570 houses and 8 bore wells which are dry.

The men in this colony work as motor mechanics and autoriksha drivers, the women and children roll beedis (local cigarettes) all through the day and night.

And with the precious little that they earn, they BUY water! contaminated water! Awful, contaminated water!  

The “smart” auto driver who was hawking a pot of awful water for Rs 5 was collecting the water from Bharathi lake, behind Jnana Bharathi University. That lake is full of sewage discharged from the Vrushabavathi! The women knew the water was contaminated (“we fall sick so often”, they said) but made sure they boiled the water and drank it or used it for cooking. They really had no choice.
Isn’t it a shameful paradox that while most of us get 1,000 litres of WHO-standard water for a mere Rs 6, thanks to the BWSSB, these poor people pay Rs 5 for 12 litres of contaminated water? The haves are paying so little while the have-nots are being fleeced!

The RWH team found a small vacant plot full of weeds between 2 blocks in this colony. The kids in the block were using it as an open toilet. The plot was cleaned up, and RWH storage tank was built.

Then sealed tank to prevent contamination as hygiene levels were found to be poor has a tap on a platform with a lock. The roof water from houses in the two blocks is channeled into the tank. A Popup filter makes the water fit to use.

Every time it rains, queues form near the tank to collect pure, precious water.

What is marvellous is the life style transformation that followed. The roof, which was a complete mess of discarded cycle tyres and tubes, rotting leaves, old clothes and brooms, was cleaned up by the residents: they couldn’t afford to have their free and pure water supply contaminated!

Water from harvesting rain in this colony is still inadequate but it solves some of their water woes.

Catch the rain where it falls!

“Generate pure water from your own roof”

“Invite clouds on to your roof and then to your tank”

·        In cities, buildings are usually constructed with rooftops of  Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) or  Mangalore tiles.

·        Rooftop rainwater usually flows into storm water drains outside the plot area.

·        As roofs are built with hard material, large quantities of rainwater will runoff and loss due to evaporation and percolation are minimal. 

·        “Catch the rain where it falls” - allow the rooftop rainwater through a filter in to your tank.

In your building you have the roof, you have the down water pipes and also a tank to store water.

Just interconnect two or three down water pipes and attach a rainwater filter before allowing the rainwater in to your tank. You will get pure water at your door step.

You will be the ambassador to save water.

This simple gesture of yours will go a long way to protect nature and its precious resources.

Go green, Conserve water, Harvest rainwater.