In previous posts, we covered how the Silicon Valley of India is in distress amid acute water shortage. With employees skipping office to work from home, to people from posh gated communities resorting to using malls for lavatory, the entire city is in anguish.
Aerator’s to the Rescue
In order to reduce water wastage amid scarcity, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) mandated the installation of aerators in taps for bulk users by March 31.
Speaking on the use of aerators to regulate the flow of water from taps to prevent wastage and appealing all households to voluntarily utilise them, BWSSB Chairman V Ram Prasath Manohar, in a statement, said on March 19 that “It is now mandatory for apartments, commercial establishments, industries, luxury hotels, restaurants, and public spaces to install aerators in their taps.”
Speaking on the timeline of the move, he said that “From March 21 to 31, a voluntary 10-day window is provided for aerator installation. After the March 31 deadline, BWSSB will install aerators in all establishments where they have not been installed. These installations will be carried out by accredited plumbers, with the expenses borne by the owners of the respective establishments”
Aerator Mandate for Water Conservation
An official order for citizens to voluntarily adopt aerators shall come out on March 20 and it will apply for the all taps designated for cleaning purposes, including those found in handwashing sinks, toilets, and taps intended for hand and foot washing in public areas such as malls, restaurants, and offices.
The Chairman, speaking at a meeting with the Bengaluru City Plumbers Association, said that aerators could potentially save 60-85 per cent of water. Highlighting its affordability and reduction in in water consumption and bills, he asked for the voluntary compliance of the same.
Calling them as ‘water tap masks’, he asked the locals to use it just as they used masks in Covid, with the intention to conserve water during the crisis.
Revealing the plan for the training of 1,500 licensed plumbers, he reiterated the mandatory nature of aerator installations.
Notably, the installation of aerator already started in BWSSB’s headquarters. He said that “Mandatory installations will be enforced from March 21 onwards, ensuring a concerted effort to conserve water”.
