He stresses that advanced technology exists to refine treated wastewater to any desired quality, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. This is not a problem unique to Bengaluru, and this solution can be implemented in any city.
Published Feb 23, 2025 | 7:10 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 23, 2025 | 7:10 PM
Vikas Brahmavar, co-founder of Boson Whitewater
Synopsis: Vikas Brahmavar, co-founder of Boson Whitewater, emphasises the transformative potential of properly managing Bengaluru’s wastewater. He stresses that advanced technology exists to refine treated wastewater to any desired quality, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.
Bengaluru, lauded as India’s Silicon Valley, has been facing a massive and growing water crisis. However, a local expert believes the solution lies not in new sources, but in valuing and utilising the city’s abundant, yet underutilised, treated wastewater.
Vikas Brahmavar, co-founder of Boson Whitewater, emphasises the transformative potential of properly managing the city’s wastewater. “Use the wastewater that is available in the city that you do not value currently,” he urges. Technology is there. It is just that intention to use this water back into the cycle that makes all the changes.”
He has a very simple vision: To reduce reliance on freshwater sources by maximising the use of treated wastewater. He gives a compelling example: “If a person is buying 100 litres of Cauvery water, he will only need to buy 20 litres. It is such a large saving. If this is really implemented on the ground, significant benefits for all.”
The scale of the opportunity is immense. Bengaluru generates a staggering 3,000 million litres per day (MLD), or 300 crore litres, of wastewater. While 200 crore litres are treated to a level suitable for gardening and flushing, a significant portion still ends up in drains, wasted.
Brahmavar highlights the situation in residential apartments. A typical 300-unit apartment generates 1,50,000 to 1,70,000 litres of wastewater daily. While around 40,000 litres are used for gardening and flushing, a substantial 1,10,000 litres are often discharged into drains, sometimes illegally.
With approximately 3,500 apartments in Bengaluru and 200 crore litres of treated wastewater produced daily, the potential for reuse is vast. “If we can use this large volume of water, we can grow really faster,” Brahmavar asserts. “Industries do not need to shut down because of non-availability of water, there will be fresh water to supply for people. Just one action to value this water, which is going out and has already been partially treated.”
He stresses that advanced technology exists to refine treated wastewater to any desired quality, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. This is not a problem unique to Bengaluru, and this solution can be implemented in any city.
Bengaluru, and other cities, can significantly alleviate water scarcity by embracing the potential of treated wastewater simply by shifting the mindset from discarding to valuing this resource.
Watch the entire conversation on the Podcast.
