Deccan Herald | November 22, 2023
Lakes offer various direct and indirect services, including groundwater recharge, biodiversity enhancement, recreational space, and storage for rainwater and excess treated wastewater from apartment complexes. Over the past two decades, lake ecosystems have suffered significant degradation due to rapid urbanisation, migration, and population growth. Although the city has seen rapid growth in water supply infrastructure, the wastewater infrastructure has lagged, resulting in wastewater being diverted to stormwater drains that eventually reach lakes. Failure to manage wastewater due to a paucity of funds has created several issues, including foaming of the lakes, fish-kill events, and bird deaths, significantly affecting the biodiversity services provided by the lakes.
