Fact check: Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath says wastewater could solve Bengaluru water crisis; is it healthy?

Zerodha founder Nithin Kamath recently claimed that using treated wastewater could solve Bangalore’s water crisis, especially as frequent extreme weather events are becoming a daily phenomenon.

“It just took one bad rainy season for Bengaluru to face a massive water shortage crisis. Given that extreme weather conditions will only become more common, this probably won’t be the last time we face this crisis. I learned recently that wastewater could be part of the solution,” Kamath wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

We decided to talk to experts about the viability of turning wastewater into potable water. According to Dr Sanjay Gupta, internal medicine, Paras Hospitals, the answer is a clear no.

“We cannot treat humans as guinea pigs and test this technology. A doctor wouldn’t want to risk the life of even one person, lest they be infected with the leftover heavy metals and microbes in the treated wastewater,” Dr Gupta explained in an interaction with indianexpress.com.

However, he did say that this water can be used for other purposes, as long as there is no contact with a human’s skin.

It just took one bad rainy season for Bengaluru to face a massive water shortage crisis. Given that extreme weather conditions will only become more common, this probably won’t be the last time we face this crisis.

I learned recently that wastewater could be part of the… pic.twitter.com/dinatQITVk

— Nithin Kamath (@Nithin0dha) April 9, 2024

Dr Shrey Srivastav, internal medicine, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, agreed with Dr Gupta’s statement that using treated wastewater at this point is not a good idea for 4 major reasons:

1. Water has certain micronutrients in it that support the immune system. Can these micronutrients be retained in wastewater and does their composition change after treating it?
2. Is there a guarantee that India has the current technology to treat wastewater? Who will take responsibility for its viability?
3. India is a country where water-borne illnesses are still rampant. If contaminated water is released into the public, a point-source endemic could change into an epidemic with no real way to control or even understand where it is coming from.
4. We’re unaware of the long-term effects of drinking treated wastewater. Can it change gene composition? How does it affect young children?

A 2016 study by the Centre for Ecological Sciences (CES) offered Bengaluru a promising path to water surplus. Their research revealed that the city’s domestic water needs (around 20 thousand million cubic feet annually) could be met by 80% (roughly 16 TMC) through treated wastewater. With Bengaluru’s average annual rainfall contributing another 14.8 TMC, the city could potentially become water-secure by using treated wastewater, according to the report.

However, public perception remains a hurdle, said Dr Shrivastav. A 2015 US-based survey showed that while nearly half (49%) were open to the idea of recycled wastewater, a significant portion (38%) harbored uncertainty, and 13% outright rejected it.

Despite the “yuck factor,” scientific evidence is reassuring. A 2012 report by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) found minimal health risks associated with treated wastewater. Further bolstering this, a 2022 study by Stanford professor William Mitch concluded that recycled water is not only as safe as conventional drinking water, but potentially even less toxic.

This evidence is only limited to the developed world and India’s exponential population makes it difficult to apply such data on it, said Dr Shrivastav.

It’s important to acknowledge that economic realities differ between developed and developing nations. While the technology exists, implementing large-scale wastewater treatment for potable reuse in India might require addressing cost concerns alongside public education efforts, not to mention the water quality of even wastewater in India might differ based on our living conditions.

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