IMPACT OF RURAL ECO-SANITATION SYSTEMS ON LAND AND WATER AT ANCHARAHALLI, DODDABALLAPUR TALUK, BANGALORE,  SOUTH INDIA

Land is the most important basic natural resource. It is a dynamic and complex combination of geology, topography, hydrology, soil and flora and fauna and influences every sphere of human activity . Subsistence farming practices, accelerated soil and water erosion, erratic rainfall, increasing population and high density of livestock population has all contributed to unsustainable land use that has lead to degradation of this valuable resource in Karnataka.Innovative sanitation systems have been introduced in several projects and have proven feasibility. Fresh water consumption can be reduced by 80%,while nutrients can be recovered to a large extent. The modular integrated systems do have the potential to be installed in densely populated urban areas without the need for central water and wastewater infrastructure. Only recent advances in membrane technologies allow this development.

Rural eco-sanitation project in Ancharahalli village of Doddaballapur Taluk, in Bangalore Rural district of Karnataka, South India is implemented in 2011. About 85 households are located in four clusters and generate around 40 KLD of mixed waste water. The present study is carried out to know the impact of these sanitation systems on the ground/land .The soil samples from the site were brought by using the core cutter. In the top layer of the soil bed is found to have moisture content is 11.30%, similarly as the test results the moisture content of middle layer and bottom layer is found to be 4.59% and 8.47% respectively. The total average moisture content is found to be 8.12%. The field density of soil is an important parameter for soil engineers. The results for field density are found to be1.72gm/cm² and the result for dry density is 1.59gm/cm². Permeability in the study area varied from 4.05 to 6.03 m/day. The soil samples were collected in horizontal & vertical (up to a depth of 3m from ground level) directions for chemical analyses of micro & macronutrients, which are found to be more than the allowable limits. The full length paper explains the mitigate measures to be followed to maintain the nutrient status of the soil for better agricultural yields and water for domestic usage.