To mark World Water Day, a Rainwater Harvesting Mela is being organized at Jawahar Bal Bhawan, Cubbon Park on Saturday, March 20, 2010, from 10:00 am to 5 p.m. This event is jointly hosted by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bangalore Jalamandali Abhiyantara Sangha, Arghyam and Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology.

There will be stalls set up by BWSSB and several rainwater harvesting service providers. Visit the mela and clarify the procedures of the new BWSSB Act Amendment mandating installation of RWH structures by May 2010. Avail this opportunity to meet the rainwater harvesting implementors, government officials, and NGOs.

The newly amended BWSSB Act, 2009 stipulate that a large number of existing and new buildings in Bengaluru need to implement rainwater harvesting by May 27th, 2010. The BWSSB Amendment Act,dated August 25,2009 states "Within nine months from the date of commencement of the amendment Act, 2009, every owner or occupier of a building having a site area of 2400 square feet and above, or every owner who proposes to construct a building on a site area of 1200 square feet and above, shall provide for rainwater harvesting structure in such a manner, with such conditions as may be provided in the regulations, failing which the Board may cause such rain water harvesting structure and recover the cost from the owner or occupier, as the case may be, as arrears of land revenue."

We foresee a huge interest for adoption of rainwater harvesting structures. However, it is vital that the rainwater harvesting structures to be of good quality and comply with all the rules and regulations. The BWSSB has trained hundreds of plumbers to meet this demand. Also, several independent rainwater harvesting implementors have also commenced operations in the city. We are also expecting some more organisations involved with water management like Central Groundwater Board to have their stalls at the event. BWSSB is also organising an 'open house' at the nearby Cubbon Park Wastewater treatment plant run by BWSSB, on the same day, to enable citizens to get an insight into how the wastewater in the city is made available for reuse, by using advanced treatment technologies. You are cordially invited to attend this event. Please use this opportunity to interact with the rainwater harvesting experts and have all your queries answered.

For futher queries, contact: BWSSB - Manjunath -9845444015 Arghyam - 080 41698941 KSCST Helpdesk for Rainwater harvesting – 23341652 / 23348848 / 23348849