Combatting water shortage in Bangalore by way of lake restoration

What’s your 10-year plan?

Cisco has one: we’ve partnered with SayTrees, CLEAN Worldwide, and Bonneville Environmental Basis to replenish a quantity of water equal to the quantity we use at our campus in Bangalore, India over the subsequent 10 years.

To perform this, we’ve funded the restoration of a lake in Bangalore, serving to to cut back native water shortage and enhance the atmosphere. That is a part of our technique to assist the water-stressed communities by which we function.

How water shortage impacts Bangalore

With almost three-quarters of the world’s inhabitants residing in international locations labeled as water-insecure or critically water-insecure, many groundwater methods the world over are past secure depletion limits. That is the case in Bangalore, the place speedy urbanization and inadequate upkeep have pushed an 85 % decline in water storage capability, threatening water safety (supply).

Traditionally generally known as the “metropolis of lakes,” Bangalore has skilled important inhabitants progress — tripling in measurement from 1990 to 2020. As town expanded, the interconnected lakes used to retailer groundwater and supply water for consuming and agriculture had been constructed over, shrunk, or dried up — resulting in extreme water shortages. Water is now sourced from more and more far distances and delivered by tanker truck. Sixty % of Bangalore’s households depend on water sourced this fashion for his or her day by day, in accordance with a SayTrees report.

Annual monsoons might assist replenish Bangalore’s lakes and groundwater, however the diminished lake space and blocked connections scale back the quantity of water that may be retained. As an alternative, the heavy rainfall typically contributes to city flooding.

An aerial view of the lake earlier than development.

Turning the tide on water shortage

These components underscore why Cisco is supporting a mission to revive and keep Valagere Kallahalli Lake. The lake, positioned close to Cisco’s campus in Bangalore, is a conventional irrigation basin that was once a key supply of life for the area people. Over time, silt accumulation, invasive weed progress, and dysfunctional inlets and retailers have depleted its water provides and broken its surrounding habitat.

The mission goals to regulate erosion, assist ecological restoration, and enhance water storage and groundwater recharge potential (the quantity of water that may be absorbed into the bottom to replenish an aquifer). The restoration is anticipated to replenish roughly 158 million liters of water annually, an quantity equal to about 63 Olympic-size swimming swimming pools.

Make approach for the lake makeover

SayTrees, our native accomplice, takes a science-based strategy to lake restoration. The mission begins with satellite tv for pc and GIS (geographic info system) evaluation of the location, in addition to an analysis of any site-specific challenges. Then, hydrology and engineering research happen, and settlement is secured from the Panchayat (the native water governing physique) and the state authorities. The development part consists of desilting, catchment restoration, erosion management, and the development of inlets and retailers.

Desilting removes silt and sediment from the lakebed, restoring and enhancing the lake’s unique water storage capability. Catchment work consists of forming or repairing the principle and peripheral bunds, earthen partitions that seize rainwater and stop erosion. Inlets and retailers management the movement of rainwater out and in of the lake throughout heavy rainfall, minimizing the chance of flooding and enhancing rainwater assortment throughout the linked lake system.

As a part of the mission, vegetation and a walkway had been added across the lake to assist leisure and group use of the lake space. IoT sensors and cameras allow SayTrees to watch lake situations and water ranges over time. This knowledge helps the SayTrees crew handle the interconnected system, observe water storage patterns, and assess the general effectiveness of the mission. Lastly, in addition they plan to prepare a pageant for the lake inauguration to have fun the restoration with the area people.

The lake restoration in progress, September 2026.

How Cisco makes use of water responsibly

The mission at V. Kallahalli Lake helps Cisco’s wider strategy to accountable water use throughout our operations, provide chain, options and providers, and investments.

Cisco strives to preserve water in our operations, particularly in water-stressed areas. We practice our suppliers on water administration finest practices to assist stop air pollution round provider websites and work in the direction of clear, constant, attainable water use requirements.

Our product portfolio helps water utilities options, like SCADA system modernization — methods essential for water therapy — and leak detection.

Moreover, the V. Kallahalli Lake restoration mission strengthens our relationship with native authorities and aligns with Cisco’s 40 Communities initiative to accomplice with international communities to drive influence and resilience.

What’s subsequent?

Over the subsequent 10 years, SayTrees will work intently with the native Panchayat to take care of and shield the lake and conduct any mandatory repairs. Additionally they plan to ask native college students and volunteers to help with planting and cleansing efforts. After that, upkeep of the lake can be handed again to the area people, with SayTrees obtainable to assist as wanted.