Bengaluru water management body brings in AI, IoT technologies to manage borewells amid crisis: Report

The Bengaluru water board brought in technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage borewells in the city.

Published on: Mar 26, 2024, 12:25:01 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Bengaluru water management body on Monday brought in technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to manage borewells in the city amidst an acute crisis.

The technologies will analyse flow patterns, regulate motor operation, and fix pumping levels, among many other functions. (HT PHOTO)

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) gave a demo on the usage of the said technologies at a borewell in the Benson Town area of Central Bengaluru, Moneycontrol reported. This comes after the agency launched a programme called the ‘Green Star Challenge’ for hotels and restaurants in the city, in a bid to conserve water.

ALSO READ | 22 Bengaluru families fined ₹5000 each for wasting water: Report

“The IoT sensors installed will analyse flow patterns, sending data to the cloud for assessment. Based on this, the system will regulate motor operation, ensuring optimal usage. When water levels decrease, automatic signals will prompt shutdowns, minimising manual intervention,” V Ram Prasath Manohar, the chairman of the BWSSB told the publication.

"This will curb unscientific borewell exploitation, ensuring sustainability. Fixed pumping levels will prevent overuse, while central monitoring will streamline operations. The excessive extraction risks drawing soil into the borewells also causing blockages," He added.

ALSO READ | Water crisis: Installation drive for tap aerators to begin today in Bengaluru

"We have successfully piloted this technology in five borewells and plan to expand its implementation to the remaining ones," He further stated.

The civic agency has taken up a number of such measures to supervise water usage in the tech hub, including the compulsory use of tap aerators in buildings, commercial establishments, restaurants, luxury hotels, industries, and other public areas.

ALSO READ | World Water Day: Why Bengaluru's lakes cannot be taken for granted anymore

It also placed restrictions on the usage of Cauvery and borewell water for activities such as pool dances and rain dances during Holi celebrations, as well as the usage of potable/drinking water for purposes such as washing cars, construction activities, gardening, and in fountains and swimming pools, among other things.

Bengaluru, as well as the rest of Karnataka, is grappling with a severe water shortage as around 6,900 borewells across the city have dried up.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Get the latest City News, local updates, weather alerts and breaking stories from Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and other major cities across India on Hindustan Times.