With Apartment Complexes realizing the importance of conservation of water, several ways and means have been experimented by many to save water. SLS Splendor, which is a home to more than 200 happy families had a water consumption of about 1.2 to 1.4 Lakh liters per day. They would buy around 22 tankers of 600 liters each day, which obviously came at a whooping cost and still left them miserable.
Water Woes
In a bid to find a solution and to end their water woes, they had earlier installed an RO water plant from which RO waste water was used in the flush tanks of B Block. But this did not seem to be the answer and hence they decided to study rainfall patterns in Bangalore. Having studied the available data, they concluded that May to October are the months when there is adequate rainfall.
In the General Body Meeting, the decision to opt for Rain Water Harvesting at B Block, which was closer to the sump was set in stone. It being an expensive affair, it was decided to proceed step by step as it was a long term investment. The cost was 3.3 lakhs which included the overall piping and several other functionalities required. There were 3 filters in the series for which they received a year’s warranty.
Rain Rain Come Again
After setting up the equipment, it was time to reap the benefits of the move. Thanks to adequate rainfall, the residents of SLS Splendor Apartment Complex would save around 3 to 4 tankers of water for every 30 to 45 minutes of rainfall received. During the rainy season, the requirement for tankers reduced further. Residents could now bathe with water comprising of low hardness. Within 3 to 4 years, they attained a break even on the expenses. The maintenance charges were minimal and it met the mandatory clauses of BBMP. Sivakumar states that “More than anything else, the satisfaction that we have contributed to the society by saving the precious resource, WATER!”