Bengaluru, 25 June

The World Bank has approved a USD 426 million loan to boost water security and climate resilience for over four million residents in Bengaluru, officials announced on Wednesday.

The Karnataka Water Security and Resilience Programme aims to enhance the city's capacity to manage floods by rejuvenating 183 lakes, which serve as natural buffers during heavy rainfall.

The programme will also strengthen early warning systems and emergency response mechanisms through the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, said task team leaders Kristoffer Welsien and Anup Karanth.

World Bank India Country Director Auguste Tano Kouame said the initiative would help increase the revenues of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and mobilise USD 5 million in private investment. Key goals include replacing ageing pipelines, enhancing operational efficiency, and deploying smart water meters through private sector innovation.

The project will provide sewerage connections to over 1,00,000 households and facilitate the construction of nine new Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to prevent untreated waste from entering the city’s lakes and drains.

Treated wastewater will be reused for industrial purposes and groundwater recharge across Greater Bengaluru.

The loan, sanctioned by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 20-year maturity period with a five-year grace period.