Blocking sewage, restoring water: How Bengaluru is reviving Byramangala lake

The Karnataka government has approved a Rs 391-crore revival plan for Byramangala Lake on Bengaluru’s outskirts, aiming to rejuvenate the polluted waterbody over the next three years.

The minor irrigati_​on department, custodian of the lake, and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will jointly implement the restoration work.

A new sewage treatment plant (STP) near the lake will prevent untreated sewage from entering it, while embankment and rejuvenation work will restore its ecosystem.

Earlier initiatives, including a diversion canal with the forest, environment, and ecology department, were stalled due to a pending Karnataka High Court petition.

Senior BWSSB engineers highlighted that lake restoration is crucial as the government plans to develop Bidadi as a satellite township.

Spread across 1,000 acres, Byramangala Lake once supported livelihoods of 20+ villages but became severely polluted over the years due to untreated sewage from Vrishabhavathi.

BWSSB chairperson Ram Prasath Manohar said the Rs 230-crore STP will treat 100 MLD of sewage, release tertiary-treated ultrapure water into the lake, and expand capacity in future.

Earlier phases at Nayandahalli and Mylasandra supply treated water to fill 100+ lakes in Ramanagara and Nelamangala, with current output at 225 MLD, soon to be upgraded to 500 MLD.

Minister Boseraju added that excess sewage beyond the downstream STPs still enters Byramangala Lake, which will be desilted to remove pollutant deposits before introducing clean water.

The comprehensive rejuvenation project for Byramangala Lake, which includes the commissioning of a dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP), desilting of the lake, embankment restoration, and other essential works to prevent untreated sewage inflow, is scheduled to be completed by 2028–29.