Bengaluru and many Indian cities are facing water scarcity issues due to population growth, increased food production, and overextraction of groundwater resources through excessive well drilling. Historically, India relied on groundwater as its main water source, with over 33 million wells providing over 60% of water needs. However, unsustainable usage and a lack of recharge has led to dropping water tables. The document discusses India's history with canal irrigation projects, dam construction, watershed management techniques, and the development of Bengaluru's piped water system to demonstrate how infrastructure development and population growth have impacted water resources over time. It advocates for rainwater harvesting and recharge well projects to restore local hydrology and refill depleted groundwater

1. Bengaluru
Waters and a city
the development story

2. Those who do not learn from history are
condemned to repeat it
– Georges Santayana

5. Historically we are witness to the disappearance of
a mighty river and an urban civilization
• Was it climate change ?
• Was it tectonic activity ?
• The answers are yet under investigation ….

6. Canal Irrigation
• India has one of the largest canal irrigation systems of the world
• Starting in the 1840’s with the Upper Ganga and Upper Yamuna Canal
• Sir Arthur Cotton and his works

7. Dams
• The huge impact of the Tennesse Valley Authority
• The coming of the Damodar Valley Corporation
• From 500 to 5500 ….

8. Watersheds
• Sukhomajri
• Kabbal Nala
• Mittemari

9. With water..but why are our rivers dry ?
• Population 1947 330 million
• 2017 1200 million
• Food grain production 1951 - 50 million tonnes
• 2017 – 270 million tonnes
• Electricity generation 1947 – 1362 MW
• 2017 - 331 GW

10. …but why are our rivers dry ?
• Dams in India 1947 300
• 2017 5202
• Take wheat alone ( C. Subramaniam 18,000 tonnes of HYV Seeds)
• 1966 10.40 million tonnes
• 1968 16.50 million tonnes
• 1970 20.00 million tonnes
• 1980 32.00 million tonnes
• 2016 90 million tonnes ( 2nd largest)

11. ..but India was and is a groundwater civilization
• Over 33 million wells and bore-wells
• Over 60 % of our total water requirements
• Over 85 % of our drinking water needs
• About 250 cu.km. of extraction annually
• ..and the only major source for recharge is RAIN

13. The liberator –
the hole in the ground which yielded precious water

14. The open well is a great communicator
• The open well is a provider and a communicator
• It ‘talks’ provided we are willing to listen
• We need to get back to the culture of the open well

18. Sarnath

21. The temple was built from the waters of
this well Konarak , Orissa 13th century

32. The evolution of technology

39. The health wins
• Elimination of the guinea worm
• The consequences
• The coming of the drilling rigs UNICEF supported

47. Bengaluru and piped water

51. Piped water supply
• Hessarghatta 1894 -1896 Tharabanhally
• Thippagondanhally 1933-35
• Kaveri 1972-74 till now
• BWSSB 1964

52. Muniappa the well digger who has dug more than 2000 recharge wells

57. Recharge – Response to a crisis

59. Hydro-flows from a small plot
Before building After building
• Surface runoff 15 % 90%
• Recharge 10 % 5%
• Evapo-transpiration 75 % 5%
• The aim of rainwater harvesting is bio-mimicry.
• To restore the local hydrology on a plot as before building

60. The new rainwater harvesting
bye-law for Bangalore City
• For every plot create recharge or storage
• @ 20 litres per square metre of roof area
• @ 10 litres per square metre of paved area
Minimum depth of recharge well 3 metres

62. Cubbon Park

67. Wheel and Axle Plant

68. Wheel and Axle Plant

74. Rainbow Drive
• 37 acres on Sarjapur
Road
• 360 plots
• No BWSSB supply
• Only groundwater as
source.

75. What Rainbow Drive did
• Banned private bore-wells
• Shared community bore-wells 3 numbers
• Made recharge as a community , over 300 recharge wells
• Put in a place a tariff system based on true cost
• Treated wastewater from WWTP being used for non-potable use
• Now completely self sufficient for water

76. Storm-water harvesting

77. Storm-water designs

78. Leaky well

79. • Locate recharge well in the channel or off the channel
• Make arrangements to remove silt and leaves before water
enters recharge well
• Monitor the rate of recharge and decide on the number of
recharge wells necessary for the catchment

80. Don’t forget the maintenance

81. Jakkur – 18.9 sq km Catchment. 50 Ha
water spread

84. UASB Reactor

85. Treatment Plant and Jakkur Lake

90. Nature as treatment

91. Lake ecosystem

97. Key issues and challenges
• Can we get sustainable with groundwater use in a consumptive
economy?
• Can we move groundwater from essentially a private resource to a
Common Pool Resource ?
• What will be the institutional and legal framework needed ?
• How will urban India manage groundwater ?

99. The only thing we learn from history is that we
do not learn from history
- Hegel

100. 100