The Biochemistry of Bengaluru's Lakes | Veena Srinivasan

The Biochemistry of Bengaluru's Lakes | Veena Srinivasan

Socio-hydrologist Veena Srinivasan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in])  joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in]) to unpack the chemistry and biology of Bengaluru’s lakes — and why lake rejuvenation cannot succeed unless we understand what sewage, nutrients, algae, wetlands and lake design are doing inside these water bodies. Bengaluru’s surviving lakes are not pristine blue water bodies. They receive stormwater, sewage, treated wastewater, nutrients, silt, sludge and runoff from dense urban neighbourhoods. In this episode of The WELL Labs Show, Veena explains how these inputs change the chemistry of lakes and, in turn, shape the biology that survives inside them. Veena explains why small amounts of phosphorus can destabilise a lake, why bioenzymes may offer only temporary relief, and why proper wastewater treatment, nutrient removal and right-sized wetlands matter. The conversation then turns to lake rejuvenation. What does it take to bring a polluted lake back to life? Can desilting or desludging reset a lake? Why do shallow zones, reed beds, bird islands and buffer zones matter? And how should cities think about lakes not only as water storage structures, but also as ecological spaces, flood buffers, recharge zones and some of the last remaining green spaces in dense urban landscapes? Veena Srinivasan (https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/ [https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/])  is leading WELL Labs’ mission to transform scientific research into real-world impact by designing solutions that simultaneously create livelihoods and conserve the environment. In 2022, she was listed as one of the top-cited scientists in the world. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in Bengaluru’s lakes, lake rejuvenation, urban water, wastewater treatment, wetlands, ecology, hydrology, biodiversity, stormwater management and the future of blue-green spaces in Indian cities. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better. For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-veena-srinivasan-3/ Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nanditha Gogate and Mytreyi Prasad. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Oishika Goswami. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

Growing a Water-Reuse Startup in Bengaluru | Vikas Brahmavar

Bengaluru needs more water, but one of its closest available sources is often ignored: used water. In this episode of The WELL Labs Show, Vikas explains how Boson Whitewater takes treated wastewater from apartment sewage treatment plants and government STPs, further purifies it through multiple stages, and supplies it for industrial and commercial uses such as cooling towers, laundries, construction, boilers, electroplating and other applications. Vikas Brahmavar, Founder and CEO of Boson Whitewater (https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikasbrahmavar/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikasbrahmavar/]) , joins host Pavan Srinath  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/]) to unpack how this Bengaluru startup is treating wastewater to a high quality and selling it as reliable water for industries, IT parks, malls and corporate campuses.  The conversation explores what it actually takes to make reclaimed water usable at scale. Vikas breaks down the treatment process — from STP-treated water to advanced filtration, membrane treatment, UV, ozonation, sensors, dashboards and water quality slips — and explains how Boson brings the water close to drinking-water standards before supplying it to customers. The episode also goes beyond technology. Vikas shares the business and operational challenges of building a water reuse startup: working with apartment associations, dealing with changing resident welfare committees, partnering with tanker operators, building trust with industries, overcoming the psychological barrier around reused water, and making the economics work for both suppliers and buyers. Boson Whitewater has already helped reuse over 1.12 billion litres of water that would otherwise have gone into drains and lakes, while also reducing demand for fresh groundwater and tanker water. Vikas also discusses how the model can scale across Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune and other Indian cities. Vikas Brahmavar(https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikasbrahmavar/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikasbrahmavar/]) is the Founder and CEO of Boson Whitewater, a Bengaluru-based company working on advanced wastewater treatment and water reuse. Boson treats STP-treated wastewater to high-quality standards and supplies reclaimed water for industrial, commercial and corporate use.  Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in wastewater reuse, urban water security, sewage treatment plants, circular water systems, climate-resilient cities, water startups, industrial water use, and the future of Bengaluru’s water supply. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visithttps://welllabs.org/twls-vikas-brahmavar/ [http://welllabs.org/twls-vikas-brahmavar/]  Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nanditha Gogate and Anukriti Shaw. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Oishika Goswami. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

Developing Water-Sensitive Cities in India with Veena Srinivasan | The WELL Labs Show

Socio-hydrologist Veena Srinivasan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasrinivasan/?originalSubdomain=in])  joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/?originalSubdomain=in]) to unpack what it means to build water-sensitive cities in India — cities that look beyond pipes and taps, and start managing groundwater, rainwater, stormwater, wastewater, lakes and rivers as one connected system. As Indian cities grow, they often look farther away for water — to distant rivers, reservoirs and mountains. But Veena Srinivasan explains why this model has limits: cities pollute or ignore local water sources, depend heavily on groundwater, and spend enormous energy and money moving water across long distances. The episode explores how urban growth changes water demand, why sewage treatment often lags behind water supply, and how this contaminates lakes, drains and groundwater. Veena then outlines what a water-sensitive city would do differently: treat wastewater as a resource, support decentralised reuse, harvest rainwater based on local geography, manage stormwater and lakes better, and collect data on the full urban water system. Veena Srinivasan (https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/ [https://welllabs.org/veena-srinivasan/])  is leading WELL Labs’ mission to transform scientific research into real-world impact by designing solutions that simultaneously create livelihoods and conserve the environment. In 2022, she was listed as one of the top-cited scientists in the world. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better. For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-veena-srinivasan-2/ Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Anukriti Shaw and Kanishka Goyal. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath. Chapter markers: 00:00 Introduction 01:34 When Cities Outgrow Local Water 04:10 How Cities Contaminate Local Water 07:24 Why Cities Can’t Just Keep Going Farther for Water 11:23 Is Groundwater Safe or Unsafe? 13:24 – Check out the Water Data Podcast  13:45 Cities Already Depend on Local Water  16:25 Who Pays for Wastewater Treatment?  19:41 Why Bengaluru Is Ahead on Wastewater Reuse  21:53 Decentralised vs Centralised Wastewater Treatment 26:07 – Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel 26:26 Why Densifying Cities Need Local Reuse 27:34 Why Rainwater Harvesting Is Different in Every City 31:18 Can Stormwater Become a Water Source?  33:34 Why Cities Must Measure Groundwater 39:13 Closing and Outro

Canal Irrigation in Modern India with Teju Kumar N | The WELL Labs Show

Teju Kumar N (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejukmr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejukmr/]), Assistant Engineer at the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), Government of Karnataka, joins host Pavan Srinath (https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/])  on this episode of The WELL Labs Show to unpack how canal irrigation works — from dams and command areas to distributaries, field channels, gates, aqueducts, and last-mile water delivery. India’s most productive farmlands are often irrigated, and canals remain central to India’s irrigation systems. In this episode, Teju explains how canal networks carry water from dams across large command areas, helping farmers grow beyond the monsoon and reduce dependence on uncertain rainfall. The conversation breaks down the engineering behind canals — from main canals, distributaries and field channels to gravity, slope, offtakes, gates, aqueducts, and concepts like duty and delta. Teju also traces Karnataka’s irrigation history, from wells, tanks and anicuts to large dams like the Tungabhadra Dam, before discussing canal modernisation through concrete lining, automated gates, SCADA systems, IoT, soil moisture sensors, and the Narayanpur Left Bank Canal. The episode also explores key challenges today: head-end versus tail-end inequity, changing crop choices, conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater, rising demand from drinking water and industry, and the role of Water User Cooperative Societies in improving last-mile irrigation. Teju Kumar N (https://aciwrm.karnataka.gov.in/136/Teju%20Kumar%20N/en [https://aciwrm.karnataka.gov.in/136/Teju%20Kumar%20N/en])  is an Assistant Engineer with the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM) in the Government of Karnataka. He is involved in the development of Karnataka Water Resources Information System (KWRIS), river basin modelling of K2, K8 and K9 sub basin, river basin profile and planning, and remote-sensing based water productivity assessment and administrative works of the centre. Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/ [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/]) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone interested in canal irrigation, water resources management, agricultural water use, irrigation engineering, Karnataka’s dams and canals, farmer livelihoods, and the future of water management in India. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-teju-kumar/ [https://welllabs.org/twls-teju-kumar/]  Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here(https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN])   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Vraj Acharya and Anukriti Shaw. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath. Chapter markers: 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Understanding Canal Design and Engineering 16:52 Check out the Water Data Podcast 17:14 History of Irrigation in Karnataka  21:34 Canal Modernisation: SCADA, IoT and Automated Gates 25:51 Subscribe to our YouTube channel 26:10 Inequality in Canal Water Distribution 30:10 Why Canal Farmers Also Use Borewells 32:30 Water User Cooperative Societies and Last-Mile Irrigation 34:54 Teju’s Journey in Water Resources Engineering  41:22 Closing Summary

Labour and Water Conservation with Karan Misquitta | The WELL Labs Show

Watershed researcher Karan Misquitta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-misquitta/⁠]  joins host Pavan Srinath [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavansrinath/] to unpack how water conservation, labour, and technology have shaped India’s landscapes over more than a century. This episode explores the evolution of watershed development — from colonial-era famine relief works to modern-day machine-led interventions. Karan explains how droughts historically led to labour-based public works, why soil and water conservation became central to rural employment programmes, and how structures like bunds, trenches, percolation tanks, and check dams transformed agricultural landscapes across India. The conversation also examines a critical tension: how do we balance creating employment at scale with building effective, durable water systems? Drawing on his research in Maharashtra, Karan traces the shift from labour-intensive watershed programmes to capital-intensive approaches driven by excavators, farm ponds, and large-scale recharge efforts — and what this means for groundwater, farmers, and policy today. Karan Misquitta [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-misquitta/⁠] is a Senior Researcher at WELL Labs, with a PhD in Geography. His work focuses on groundwater, rural water systems, and the political economy of watershed development in India. Pavan Srinath [https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-srinath/⁠] is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector. This episode is essential viewing for anyone working on water conservation, rural development, agriculture, public policy, or employment programmes — and for those trying to understand how India’s water landscapes have been shaped by both people and machines. The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath and occasionally guest-hosted by colleagues from WELL Labs, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/twls-karan-misquitta/ [https://dev.welllabs.org/twls-karan-misquitta/] Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs [https://www.youtube.com/@welllabs] and watch all episodes on the official playlist here [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrHB5gd1QIB_5Bt9nGOQkQRhbeXBEtU7M&si=c7D6GbQKA-8JWiNN⁠]   Recording by Nabina Chakraborty, Vraj Acharya and Nanditha Gogate. Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.