The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has proposed the construction of five new sewage treatment plants (STPs) in Bengaluru at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore. The initiative aims to expand the city’s wastewater treatment capacity by an additional 385 million litres per day (MLD).

Currently, BWSSB manages a vast underground drainage network of over 11,894 km, covering 110 villages, and treats approx. 2,130 MLD of sewage daily. However, only 34 operational STPs handle a combined capacity of 1,345 MLD, leaving a significant treatment gap.

To bridge this, BWSSB is also constructing 20 new STPs with a combined capacity of 470 MLD at a cost of Rs 1,382 crore, while tenders have been floated for nine additional plants with a 140 MLD capacity under World Bank assistance.

According to officials, two of the newly proposed plants will use advanced single-reactor systems that minimise space and energy usage. The other three plants will adopt the activated sludge process (ASP), enabling biological treatment of wastewater. The resulting sludge will be repurposed as compost, contributing to sustainable waste management.