BANGALORE: Bangalore everyday recycles 70 million litres of water, which is sufficient to meet the needs of seven lakh people, thanks to four tertiary treatment plants.

The recycled water supplied is mostly by hotels for non-potable purposes such as fountains and water gardens. A large quantity of this water is used in Lal Bagh, Cubbon Park, Raj Bhavan and golf courses in the city.

"If the four treatment plants did not exist, then the Cauvery water would have been used for these purposes," A. Vidyavathsal, Chief Operating Officer of Degremont, said.

Degremont has set up nine treatment plants in the city, including the recently inaugurated treatment plant at Cubbon Park.

The firm has put up the largest drinking water treatment plant in T.K. Halli. The plant, with a capacity to treat 300 million litres daily (MLD) is designed for the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).

The sewage treatment plants that the firm has set up in K.C. Valley and Raja Canal treat water till the secondary level, which means it is good enough to be used in industries. Water from K.C. valley is treated and discharged into the Bellandur tank. The advantage of treated water, apart from the environmental aspect, is much cheaper than water supplied by the BWSSB. While the cost of water for industrial purposes is Rs. 50 per thousand litres when supplied by BWSSB, recycled water supplied by the firm costs only Rs. 12 a thousand litres. "Sewage is a resource that needs to be used properly. The benefits that can be got from it are enormous," said Mr. Vidyavatshal. Treated water can be used for drinking purposes.

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