Waterbodies have, for the longest time functioned as a crucible for churning the development of cities and towns. However, as cities have grown, the pollution load on waterbodies has increased manifold, maxing out their self-cleansing capacity – completely putting it off balance.

Anthropogenic factors are to blame, such as solid waste disposal, industrial and domestic sewage disposal, encroachments and commercial fish farming. Weed infestation, reduction of storage volume, drying, decrease of biodiversity and loss of interconnectivity are some of the direct consequences that one can witness in the waterbodies today.

Treating sewage before it enters a waterbody has thus become, a necessity – if we want a clean and healthy environment. While a permanent solution to this would be to curb pollution at the source, there are intermediary measures that can be taken to restore a waterbody to its wholesome original self, conserve and enhance its biological diversity, preserve its ecosystem, and manage it while meeting current and future demand – without compromising on its ecological health and character.

The condition of our waterbodies clearly shows that we underestimate the role waterbodies play in our lives. Besides serving as sources of water, they play a crucial role in the recharge of groundwater and flood control. They serve as cleansers (thanks to their ability to remove carbon and nutrients from polluted waters). They play an important role in supporting life (biodiversity) and livelihoods (economy). Not to forget, the green and recreational spaces they provide – for our own well-being.

All projects we have undertaken recognize this. We have thus taken a holistic approach that looks at the multiple facets of a waterbody – aiming not just to clean the water but to revive the natural ecosystem so as to provide a natural and long-term solution. Through these projects, we wish to provide on-ground examples that demonstrate that life can be restored into a dying waterbody in a sustainable manner.