The UK-based £450 million water purification company, ABC (UK) Ltd, has proposed to provide a water purification system for Bangalore city by using the 'Ionclean' process.
The company, which conducted a preliminary survey of water pipes and select reservoirs in and around Bangalore city, held discussions with chief minister N Dharam Singh, officials of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board over the implementation of the project.
"We were invited by the state government based on the presentation we made in August for a preliminary investigation of the reservoirs and the system of water supply pipelines in and around Bangalore. We will return to the UK and prepare the detailed proposal and submit to the government by early next year," said Noel Parkinson, technical director.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Friday, he said the Bangalore water supply system is over a 100 years old and includes a filtering process. Over time, due to the nature of water, deposits have occurred inside the pipes. These mineral deposits form a home and partial food supply for algae and bacteria, thereby polluting the water. The 'Ionclean' process which the company proposes to use involves mixing ions with the water in the reservoirs so that such water supply cleans the pipes as it passes through.
The 'Ionclean' system uses the existing technology of electrolysis under which a carefully regulated electric current flows between two copper/silver electrodes, enabling copper and silver ions to be released into the water.
The benefits of ionised water are many. Ionisation flushes out acidic waste in the water three times more effectively and allows nutrients to be absorbed more efficiently.
The ionclean purification system is easy to operate and requires little maintenance. Copper and silver ions have proven to kill Crypto sporidium, E. Coli, V. cholerae, Legionnaires and many other types of bacteria and viruses, company officials claimed.
The company over the last few days visited five reservoirs around Bangalore and collected information on the water supply system. "We are still waiting for information on the number of reservoirs in and around Bangalore and lab reports of water at different seasons. Once we get these details the project cost will be worked out," said Imran Siddiqui, director of strategic management, ABC Ltd.
The company has successfully implemented the ionisation system in the UK, Saudi Arabia, China and Tanzania. In India, it has already made a presentation to the Maharashtra government and will do so in Delhi too, he said.