<p>Resident welfare associations (RWA) are asking the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to address the problem of fat, oil and grease (FOG) effluents on a war footing.</p>.<p>While the BWSSB often fixes the problem by replacing underground drainage pipes (UDG), the RWAs want it to address the root cause — the way restaurants dispose of their used oil. </p>.<p>In 2019, an underground drainage pipe in Koramangala 5th Block burst open. The area is known for its high density of restaurants within a 3 km radius. Water from the drain was flowing onto the road. The pipe was replaced by the BWSSB, and officials found that the breach was caused by FOG waste, also called ‘fatberg’, getting into sewage water from nearby cloud kitchens, restaurants and homes. </p>.<p>“With the popularity of food delivery apps, the number of commercial kitchens has grown unchecked in the last few years,” says Raghu Rajagopal, president of the Koramangala 4th Block RWA. When fatbergs come in contact with cool sewage water, they solidify. Years of buildup causes blockages and the water pressure results in the pipes cracking, he explains.</p>.Ownership dispute erupts over reclaimed BDA land in New Thippasandra.<p><strong>Business affected</strong></p>.<p>Magrath Road near Brigade Road faced the same problem during Covid. The pipeline was replaced by the BWSSB. The road is home to multiple businesses, from hotels and hair salons to clinics and a mall. They are currently grappling with a poorly maintained road, which was dug up by the BWSSB a year ago to relay the sewage pipes. “We hope someone takes note and fixes it soon,” says a business owner. </p>.<p>While RWAs are convinced the source of the offending effluent is the restaurant business, restaurant associations believe they are not solely responsible. Most restaurants have grease traps installed in their kitchens, says Chethan Hegde, chapter head, National Restaurant Association of India, Bengaluru.</p>.<p>P C Rao of Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, says restaurants use filters, and the excess oil is sold to companies “that make diesel”. “Blocked drains are a problem for restaurants too, so most of them are careful how they dispose of their FOG waste,” Rao explains. </p>.<p><strong>Regular checks</strong></p>.<p>Lavelle Road faced similar problems years ago, but the RWA has since become proactive. “We call the BWSSB to check if restaurants are using grease traps. Initially, we found that some businesses were not using them. We have even had jetting trucks come and remove the sewage,” says Sunita Kumar of the Lavelle Road RWA. </p>.<p>A senior BWSSB official says the only solution is for all restaurants to instal grease traps. “If the problem persists, we will have to enforce it. We may have no choice but to penalise businesses that do not have these traps,” he told Metrolife. </p>.<p><strong>HOW TO TREAT IT<br></strong>Tharun Kumar, who runs a sewage treatment company called Eco STP, explains that sewage can be treated by the aerobic and anaerobic methods. In India, most STPs (sewage treatment plants) use the aerobic method, while the anaerobic method is better suited for FOG waste. “But even then, there is no way to properly dispose of the effluents. It will eventually end up in landfills or back in the drains,” says Kumar.</p>.<p>Raghu Rajagopal, of the Koramangala 4th Block RWA, suggests a ‘simple and cost effective’ solution. “An underground storage tank should be designed to collect FOG from commercial kitchens. The waste should then be taken to an oil-reprocessing unit,” he says, adding that a popular restaurant in Koramangala has begun implementing this.</p>
<p>Resident welfare associations (RWA) are asking the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to address the problem of fat, oil and grease (FOG) effluents on a war footing.</p>.<p>While the BWSSB often fixes the problem by replacing underground drainage pipes (UDG), the RWAs want it to address the root cause — the way restaurants dispose of their used oil. </p>.<p>In 2019, an underground drainage pipe in Koramangala 5th Block burst open. The area is known for its high density of restaurants within a 3 km radius. Water from the drain was flowing onto the road. The pipe was replaced by the BWSSB, and officials found that the breach was caused by FOG waste, also called ‘fatberg’, getting into sewage water from nearby cloud kitchens, restaurants and homes. </p>.<p>“With the popularity of food delivery apps, the number of commercial kitchens has grown unchecked in the last few years,” says Raghu Rajagopal, president of the Koramangala 4th Block RWA. When fatbergs come in contact with cool sewage water, they solidify. Years of buildup causes blockages and the water pressure results in the pipes cracking, he explains.</p>.Ownership dispute erupts over reclaimed BDA land in New Thippasandra.<p><strong>Business affected</strong></p>.<p>Magrath Road near Brigade Road faced the same problem during Covid. The pipeline was replaced by the BWSSB. The road is home to multiple businesses, from hotels and hair salons to clinics and a mall. They are currently grappling with a poorly maintained road, which was dug up by the BWSSB a year ago to relay the sewage pipes. “We hope someone takes note and fixes it soon,” says a business owner. </p>.<p>While RWAs are convinced the source of the offending effluent is the restaurant business, restaurant associations believe they are not solely responsible. Most restaurants have grease traps installed in their kitchens, says Chethan Hegde, chapter head, National Restaurant Association of India, Bengaluru.</p>.<p>P C Rao of Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association, says restaurants use filters, and the excess oil is sold to companies “that make diesel”. “Blocked drains are a problem for restaurants too, so most of them are careful how they dispose of their FOG waste,” Rao explains. </p>.<p><strong>Regular checks</strong></p>.<p>Lavelle Road faced similar problems years ago, but the RWA has since become proactive. “We call the BWSSB to check if restaurants are using grease traps. Initially, we found that some businesses were not using them. We have even had jetting trucks come and remove the sewage,” says Sunita Kumar of the Lavelle Road RWA. </p>.<p>A senior BWSSB official says the only solution is for all restaurants to instal grease traps. “If the problem persists, we will have to enforce it. We may have no choice but to penalise businesses that do not have these traps,” he told Metrolife. </p>.<p><strong>HOW TO TREAT IT<br></strong>Tharun Kumar, who runs a sewage treatment company called Eco STP, explains that sewage can be treated by the aerobic and anaerobic methods. In India, most STPs (sewage treatment plants) use the aerobic method, while the anaerobic method is better suited for FOG waste. “But even then, there is no way to properly dispose of the effluents. It will eventually end up in landfills or back in the drains,” says Kumar.</p>.<p>Raghu Rajagopal, of the Koramangala 4th Block RWA, suggests a ‘simple and cost effective’ solution. “An underground storage tank should be designed to collect FOG from commercial kitchens. The waste should then be taken to an oil-reprocessing unit,” he says, adding that a popular restaurant in Koramangala has begun implementing this.</p>