Infrastructure management in any two cities is never the same, and Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) is one such measure that has different guidelines in every city. The RWH guidelines in Hyderabad are understandably entirely different from those in Bangalore.

To understand the guidelines better, you’ll need to grow familiar the concept of rain water harvesting and the reasons behind the same.

Why Rain Water Harvesting?

Rain water is one of the purest forms of water that is majorly deemed fit for human consumption and use worldwide. Gathering rain water and using the same can help in tackling the demand for fresh water and the practice can also help in preventing floods. Some advantages of rain water harvesting include:

This process will help in recharging water aquifers

• The quality of ground water can be significantly improved
• Soil erosion can be reduced when excess rain water is tapped and stored
• Water logging can be prevented and this will help in negating mosquito related problems
• Water shortage issues that crop up in cities like Hyderabad during the summer can be tackled
• Power consumption can be reduced as the process of pumping water can be made rare

RWH Guidelines in Hyderabad City

Guidelines for rain water harvesting were enforced in Hyderabad in the year 2001.

• The owner or occupier of a particular building, which stands on an area of more than 300 square meters, should install a rainwater investing system.
• It is mandatory to install RWH systems in commercial complexes and housing societies.
• Trenches and percolation pits should be installed around every building in Hyderabad these can have a dimension of 1.2 x 1.2 x 2.5 meters. The trenches can have a depth of 2 meters, a width of 0.6 meters and a length of around 2 to 6 meters.
• Terrace water can be sent directly to these trenches and pits, and they need to mandatorily have filter materials. A brick wall should be constructed near these trenches and pits, with an ideal depth so that loose soil does not mix with the rain water that’s collected.
• Concrete slabs that are well perforated should be provided over these trenches and pits. Fine sand and coarse sand should be used in two layers in these trenches and pits.
• PVC pipes can be used to connect the terrace to the sump so that the rain water that’s collected can be channeled down to the sump.
• Rain water harvesting experts should be consulted to build a value system, which will directly discharge the first batch of rain water that’s collected (as it is bound to be dirty due to its interaction with dust on the terrace floor). The secondary batches will them be stored in the sump.
• Filtering tanks need to be constructed near the sumps in order to purify the water, and these should have two layers – one layer of coarse sand and another layer of fine sand. This filtering tank should have a dimension of 1 x 1 x 1 meters. The tank should have a sloping base so that water doesn’t get accumulated by any chance.

You can check if the rain water harvesting system in your housing society follows these guidelines and bring up any missing features during resident meetings.

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This article aims at collating and providing information for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. While ApnaComplex has taken every care to ensure the information is accurate, we suggest to please use it only as a guidance for further discussion and action with help of relevant professionals. If you need professional advise on this topic and any other property related matters, please send your request through our contact us form. You may post your questions/inputs in the Comments section below and we will try and get them answered through relevant subject matter experts.

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ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) has been made mandatory for every housing society and independent household, and in order to ensure that your housing society is following the norms specified by the government, you’ll have to understand the given guidelines.

Rain water harvesting guidelines for housing societies and residential spaces in Bangalore vary largely from those in other cities in terms of implementation. In 2009, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board enforced RWH implementation in certain areas of city and these guidelines were introduced.

RWH Guidelines in Bangalore City

• The occupier (tenant) or the owner of a particular building (which stands on more than 2400 square feet area), or every owner who proposes to erect a building on an area of 1200 square feet or more, should construct a rainwater harvesting structure.
• The volume for recharge or storage of rain water should be a minimum of 20 liters per square meter and 10 liters per square meter on the non-roof area of the site.
• Bore-wells can be recharged by using the necessary catchment management systems and fillers in the rain water harvesting setup.
• Rainwater that’s collected from the roof should not be sent to a live bore-well, even if it’s taken through a filter.
• The rainwater should be sent to a separate open well near the bore-well. The water from the open well can be fed into the bore-well if it reaches very low capacity.
• Filters should be mandatorily used, although the type of filter can vary depending on the owner’s preference.

If a residential complex or a standalone house does not have a rain water harvesting system that’s been government approved, then the drinking water supply to that particular house will normally be cut till the specified changes are made. This was introduced by the government when it was noted that many residents weren’t following the specified deadline.

As of 2009, the Government identified about 58,000 buildings where RWH systems had to be installed mandatorily.

Tips for Installing Rain Water Harvesting System

Following the RWH guidelines won’t be difficult for a residential building or a housing society in Bangalore if it meets some basic requirements. The first and foremost requirement is to have a sump tank to preserve water.

Also, every building should have an installed pipeline to redirect rain water from the catchment area to the tank. A facility to clean the catchment area should also be present in every building to avoid bacterial growth, which can contaminate the water and affect the residents.

• For installing the system, the managing committee can avail the services of a rainwater harvesting expert who will be able to set up a working model.
• The rooftop area in the housing society or any open ground area can serve as the catchment region. Ensure that both these areas are wide enough to hold a tank.
• Ensure that the roof top area is continuously cleaned by the maintenance team to avoid bacterial growth.

Setting up an RWH system can provide a secondary source of water for all members of the housing society and make it a decidedly green zone. It can also help in preventing water logging and effectively remove the problem of stagnant water in the terrace and other areas.

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ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

The smell of wet earth and the feel of a light drizzle on your face during the monsoon can seem very appealing indeed. Rain in India comes as a welcome relief after stiflingly hot weather, but the monsoon rains can cause their fair share of problems. Are you prepared to deal with all the monsoon related issues this season in your housing society?

Preparing for the Rains

While your housing society was being built, the builders would have taken measures to weatherproof your house to ensure that there are no cracks on the wall and no leaky ceilings. In case you detect any signs of moisture seeping in, you have to take immediate steps to deal with it. Dampness over time can affect your walls and roofs and damage the overall housing society structures and weaken them.

Drainage and Ventilation

Your housing society flat should have a proper drainage system that leads water away from the house and does not allow it to settle near the walls. You should also set up a good ventilation system to let out the humidity and air the rooms. Kitchens and bathrooms need special care as these are the areas most exposed to smoke, steam and moisture. A good chimney and exhaust fan in the kitchen and good ventilation in the bathrooms should take care of this. If your bathrooms do not have adequate ventilation, try installing a ceiling fan to dry up the excess moisture.

Keep your cupboards well aired and dry. If the rain gets in through the windows, make sure it dries up quickly. Mop up any extra water that enters your house and wipe the place dry.

Decorating Your House for the Rains

The monsoon brings with it heavy grey clouds and subdued sunlight. To offset the darkness outside, make sure that the space inside is well lit and cheery. Do not use shades and colored lights during this season. Make sure that the lights are bright enough to light up the room, yet soft enough so that they are not hard on the eyes.

Carpets and Mats

Roll up your expensive soft carpets in the living room. This is the season of mud and damp footprints, so replace the carpet with acrylic or plastic matting. These come in attractive colors, designs and textures, so you can choose them to suit your home and tastes.

Make sure that you have enough mats at the entrance to scrape off mud from shoes and dry wet feet. Use rubber and coir mats at entrances and soft mats that can soak up moisture inside. Make sure you have enough spare mats to replace the soft mats when they get dirty and need to be washed.

Brighten Up the Rooms

Use bright flowers and decorations to lend a cheery air to the rooms. Use light, translucent curtains and brightly colored linens and bed sheets to perk up the interiors. Shut the windows tight during a heavy downpour and open them when the rain stops. Mesh net screen windows are a good way to let in the air and light and grab a splendid view of freshly washed plants and trees after a shower, while keeping out all insects.

If you take some simple steps and precautions to prevent the moist conditions from invading your house, you can enjoy all the positive sights and sounds of the monsoon season without worrying about the amount of water that the rain dumps outside your house. Prepare your housing society flat for the monsoon and then go ahead and enjoy the rains.

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ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Waterproof paints are gaining popularity both as interior as well as exterior painting options. These paints are good options through which you can add protection to the walls and give a good finish to a building in the housing society.

About Waterproof Paints

Waterproof paints can add a layer of protection against moisture to your walls and other surfaces. They also prevent the formation of mold and mildew and are not prone to peeling and flaking. But you need to keep in mind the fact that mere waterproof paint can’t solve your problems if you have trouble with moisture getting into your building.

The building materials should have been picked well, and masonry, plastering, roofing and weather-coating need to have been done with care to prevent water from seeping through the walls. If this has not been done properly, you’ll need to address these issues before going out and buying gallons of paint.

That being said, waterproof paints do have enhanced resistance to moisture. They are easier to maintain and also offer protection against mold.

The Varieties of Waterproof Paints

Waterproof paints can come in many varieties, the main being acrylic emulsions and oil-based enamel paints. Both are waterproof and have a longer life than traditional distempers. They also give a good finish to the surfaces that they are used on.

Surfaces Waterproof Paints Can Be Used On

While acrylic and enamel paints are both waterproof, you need to keep in mind the surface you are going to paint on when choosing between them.

Mostly, walls and other building surfaces are painted with acrylic emulsion paints. They are water-solvent paints, but once dry, they are water-resistant. They dry quickly and can be washed with mild soap solutions to remove stains. They’ll give a good finish to your walls, both interior and exterior and will last longer than traditional distemper paints. They also don’t peel or flake easily.

Enamel paints are oil-based paints that require special solvents and take a longer time to dry. They are generally more appropriate for doors, windows and metallic surfaces. They can give a good glossy finish to the painted surface. Because they take longer to dry, you have to take care that the painted surface is not touched or disturbed in any other way. You also have to take care that dust does not settle on the paint before it dries. The dust will stick to the paint and affect the finish.

Moisture and Weather Considerations

When choosing the paint, you also need to keep in mind the climate and general weather condition in your region. If you get a lot of rainfall and expect high moisture content in the air, you need to consider stronger water-resistance grades in the paint.

You can consider oil paints or high-grade acrylic paints for your rooms in such conditions. If you often face problems with mold growth, you can use special anti-mold paints in the areas of your house most susceptible to mold and mildew.

Choosing paint is not just a matter of colors and looks. You can add an additional layer of protection against dampness and fungal growth by buying the right kind of paint to suit your specific needs. Keep in mind the surface you are painting on, the humidity and weather conditions when getting the paints.

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ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trail as well so that you can try before you buy!

Monsoon in India is always unpredictable, and the intensity of showers may vary greatly from place to place, with time. While the heavy rains might not create much havoc in a well planned housing society that has a good drainage system and well established monsoon measures, sometimes due to unprecedented showers, water stagnation and subsequent flooding might occur if the drains get blocked.

This might not have much of an effect on all residents, but the ones residing in the ground floor will feel the pinch as water may creep into their homes through cracks and faults, if any. Preparing your ground floor flat for the monsoon and fixing any blatant issues beforehand can help in this regard.

What You Can Do

• Check the walls and ceiling for leaks

Even minor cracks along the walls can bring about heavy leaks due to the monsoon rains. There are many home care and maintenance products that are available in the market and you can use these to fix minor leaks. If the cracks or fissures are major, opt for professional help and fix them well before the monsoon, because fixing a leak may be tedious at that time.

• Check the wiring and electrical equipment

Indefinite electrical shutdowns or power cuts are quite common during the rainy season. Additionally, water can seep into faulty electrical panels or equipments around the house and this may create an environment that’s conducive to electrical shocks and breakdowns. List out your electrical appliances and check their wiring. Cover all appliances properly and replace old wires with new quality wires while making sure that they have been proper earthed.

• Check all wooden doors and windows

Apartments in the ground floor tend to collect more moisture owing to the stagnant water bodies around the outside walls during the monsoon. Increased moisture may cause your wooden doors to swell, and this may ruin the decor of your house and jam the door temporarily as well. Chipping off the section of the door or window that gets stuck will solve the problem in this case. Also, the hinges and locks must be checked for proper operation.

• Cover the windows and open areas

The windows on the ground floor can be partially covered to guide the rain water away from the wall. This will also allow less damping, ensuring lesser chances of seepages. Also, open areas like balconies can be covered to restrict rain water from stagnating around the house, which may promote the growth of mosquitoes.

• Roll up your carpets and heavy curtains

Staying on the ground floor results in lesser cross ventilation, leading to more humidity inside. Remove all carpets and heavy curtains and pack them up before the monsoon starts. You can facilitate ventilation by using lighter curtains, as these will help you avoid a damp and humid environment.

• Maintain all wooden cupboards and drawers

High levels of moisture on the ground floor can often cause your wooden cupboards and drawers to get jammed. You can place camphor in your drawers and cupboards as this will effectively prevent them from getting stuck and causing any inconvenience. Chip off the swollen sections that you find in your cupboard doors.

Planning for the monsoon season well in advance and taking up these preventive measures can help you bring down the issues that ground floor residents normally face during the monsoon.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!

ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Rain gutters are used to direct rain water away from the building. If you ignore the gutters in your housing society building and allow them to get clogged, the rain water will overflow beyond a point and get dumped down along the sides of your house. If you stay in an apartment compelx with basement parking, the water can even enter your vehicles and mess them up.

Rain Gutters and Drainage

Rain gutters collect water and channel it along the edges of the roof towards a downpipe which drains the water. This prevents the water from seeping through into the building and causing problems related to dampness, and mold and mildew.

Keeping the Gutters Clean

If you have easy and safe access to the roof of the housing society, this can be an easy task. Regularly sweep out leaves and other debris that can clog up the gutters and pipes. If you face difficulty in accessing your roof, it is better to hire a professional to perform the cleaning process, especially during the rainy season.

Ensure that the gutters are smooth and allow the water to flow freely towards the downspout. Any rough edges or ridges on the surface can cause water to collect and not drain properly. If you have a problem with falling leaves and other wastes, you need to clean it regularly to prevent stagnation of water and overflow.

Water stagnation can also cause other problems. Stagnant water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests. You can install mesh or wire covers over the gutter as these will prevent the buildup of debris. This step will also bring in the concept of proper maintenance of the covers, as if you let them get blocked, rain water will not seep through to the gutters and instead, will spill over the sides of the building.

Trim the Trees

If you find that there’s a tree that has branches hanging near the roof, it should be a definite cause for concern. Leaves and seeds from the tree will find their way into the gutter eventually. You can try trimming the branches that actually reach over the roof so that this problem is eliminated. You can either do this on your own or talk to the housing society maintenance team.

‘Doing it Yourself’ Methods

To clean the gutter, scoop out the dirt and leaves and dump them into a canvas bag. If the downpipe is clogged, insert a hose down the pipe and turn on the water. The force of the water should clear out any blockage and flush it out of the pipe. You can then hose down and clean the gutters to clear away any remaining dirt.

If you have installed gutter covers, you should sweep away any dirt and debris from it and clean it up with a hose.

If the covers are blocked, you need to remove them and do a thorough job of cleaning and clearing the covers before putting them back in place. Put the covers back on and wipe off any dirt remaining in and around the area.

Call for Help

If you are facing a serious problem of blockage and debris build-up, it is better to call in professional helpers. In fact, it is a good idea to hire a professional through your managing committee to clean up the rain gutters at least twice a year.

Keeping the rain gutters clean not only ensures proper drainage of rain water; it also prevents water stagnation in the gutters, which can invite mosquitoes and other insects. Clean gutters and downpipes drain away the water and redirect it back to the ground, away from the housing society, from where it can eventually flow underground and replenish the water table.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Water is a precious resource and the world over; it is also a dwindling resource – even in a housing society. Increasing human population is piling a huge demand on the overall water resources, and reservoirs are drying up and water tables are correspondingly going down. Housing societies everywhere are looking for ways to conserve water usage and replenish water reserves.

There are several ways through which the residents in your housing society can conserve water:

• Leaky Faucets – Check for leaking taps. The eternally dripping water can slowly add up to gallons of waste water in a short time. Fix all leaks immediately after pointing them out.
• Flush Tank Leaks – Check to see if your toilet tank leaks water. If you suspect a leak but cannot be sure, add some coloring to the water in the tank. If the water in the toilet bowl colors up without the flush being used, it means you have a leak. Fix the leak as soon as you can.
• Displace Water in Flush Tanks – If you have a flush tank that takes in a lot of water, you can cut down on that extra water. Fill a water bottle with sand and put it inside the tank. This displaces the water in the tank, and the tank takes less water to fill up. Don’t displace too much water. Insufficient water won’t clear the toilet in one flush and will result in people doing multiple flushes.
• Install New Flush Tanks – Low flush or controlled flush systems can help you conserve a lot of water as the flush can be controlled throughout.
• No Bathtubs – Filling a bathtub takes a lot of water. So avoid using bathtubs and use showers instead. These are better and will keep you free of sweat.
• Restrict Water Flow in Showers – Use low flow shower heads or install flow restrictors in your showers. This way you can cut down the water flow through your showers.
• Take Short Showers – Do not take long baths. When you are soaping up, turn off the shower. Turn it on only when you need to wash off the soap. Letting the water run throughout can waste a lot of water.
• Prevent Clogging of Water Pipes – Salt content in water can quickly clog your water pipes. Your housing society should consider installing desalination or water softening systems to ensure clear water gets pumped through the water pipes.

How can this help conserve water?
When water flows out slowly from taps, people have a tendency to leave it running for longer. Also, they leave it on to fill buckets with water, and then might forget to turn it off. In these and other ways, water pipe clogging may result in water wastage. Steady, smooth flow of water through pipes and taps ensure more efficient usage.

• Don’t Leave Water Running – When you are brushing your teeth or shaving, close the tap. Turn it on only when you need to clean the brush or the razor. Use a glass of water to rinse your mouth, instead of keeping the water running. Teach children to turn off water taps properly.
• Washing Machines – Use your washing machine only when it is on full load. Using the machine when it’s on half load can result in a lot of water wastage.
• Washing Dishes – When you are washing dishes, do not keep the water running. Turn the tap on only when you need to rinse the dishes.
• Recycling – Try installing water recycling systems. Recycle non-toilet water for use in non potable purposes – like flush tanks, car wash, watering the garden etc.
• Rain Water Harvesting – You housing society can harvest rain water by collecting it in overhead filter tanks, or by redirecting the rain water to the ground to replenish water beds.
• Avoid Hoses – Use a broom to clean your front porch or yard and don’t hose it clean. If you must use water to clean it, fill a bucket with water and sprinkle it, then sweep it. Use soap and sponge to clean your car.
• Watering Your Garden - Water your lawn and plants during early morning or at dusk. This decreases evaporation, and gives the plans more time to absorb the water.

Your housing society can get people to practice simple water saving techniques to conserve water. Recycling water and rain water harvesting systems are another way for a housing society to combat water shortage. If all these measures are practiced, you can help reduce the strain on water resources and help replenish them.

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Get your Society on ApnaComplex – Today!
ApnaComplex is India’s most comprehensive web based housing society accounting, management and communication software. It is designed to make the life of residents and owners a lot better by bringing in more transparency and accountability in managing a housing society. Check out the features of ApnaComplex and sign up your society today to get the benefits! We offer a free 30-day trial as well so that you can try before you buy!

Keeping bees at bay is one of the prime tasks of the apartment maintenance crew; because you don’t want bees buzzing around when you are outside in your garden, do you? Worse, they can get inside your house. When it comes to getting rid of bees, don’t immediately think of spraying them or calling the exterminators or your apartment maintenance crew.

While it’s understandable that you may not want bees buzzing around you and that you don’t want to get stung, you should know that killing them is not the only option open to you. Try getting rid of them in the Gandhian way. Drive them away, don’t kill them.

Why should you care?
You should anyway, not only because all creatures have a right to live, whether you like them or not, but because bees are important to us too. Apart from making honey, bees are one of the most important pollinators of many of our major nutrient sources like fruits, berries, nuts.

Do you like some mustard with your food? Do you like mangoes? Well these crops and plants need bees for pollination purposes. So if you see bees, don’t panic and search for the number of the exterminator in the yellow pages. There are other options:

Eliminate The Attractions

Bees generally seek out water sources. If you have a bird bath or a fountain or even open water containers, they will keep coming back to take a drink. Have your apartment maintenance crew keep the bird bath and the fountains dry until the bees go away.

Empty water buckets and shut off other water sources, like a leaky faucet. Cover the pool. You can also try reducing the amount of flowering plants in your garden. Alternatively, plant them well away from walkways if you have the space. Do this with fruit trees too. The apartment maintenance crew should take measures to keep the swimming pool covered when it is not being used. Pools of water attract bees. Grasses and bushes should also be trimmed.

Keep Them Away From Parties

If you are holding an outdoor party or a family BBQ, keep all the meat and sweet drinks covered. They attract wasps and bees, especially wasps.

Wear light colored clothing – these insects are attracted to dark colors. Do not swat at bees or kill them. This puts them in attack mode, and they will come at you in a swarm. You can hang a mesh bag filled with fruits in a place away from your house. The bees will go for those bags.

Evict them

• Smoke them out

The apartment maintenance crew can hire a professional to do this. This should be done in the evening. Bees are diurnal, so they go home in the evening. If you cannot hire a professional, then take all the precautions necessary to avoid getting stung.

Put some coal and crimpled paper in a pail and set fire to it. When the flame is strong, put it out. Wear some protective gear to cover your head, and a loose robe and gloves. Carry the smoking pail to the hive. You should wait till there are no more bees buzzing around. Then place this pail under the hive and leave the area.

Make sure you avoid windy days to do this or you’ll end up starting a fire. The smoke going up into the hive will drive out the bees. You will have to do this for many days to make sure the bees are driven away.

• Relocate the bees

Your apartment maintenance crew can try and find bee keepers who want bees, for honey or for pollination. See if you can find someone who is interested. You can take an effort together to hire a professional to remove the hive from within the apartment complex over to the beekeeper’s land. This way you can both benefit, and the bees get to live in a place where they are wanted.

• Drench their nests

If you have ground nesting bees, try sprinkling the nesting area with water. Bees don’t like damp homes and will immediately relocate to some other ideal spot.

• Cover up their homes

If your problem is with carpenter bees (the kind that bore holes though wood), you should wait till you see the bees leave the nest. Then you can cover it up and spray it with insect repellent, preferably the natural kind. You might have to hunt around and do this for all the holes. Use the repellent on the nests till you are sure the bees are not coming back.

• Use natural repellents

Avoid using chemical sprays and insecticides that will probably do you more harm than the bees. Try preparing some natural home-made repellent. You can easily find these natural formulas, and use them to keep the bees away. Tie up some moth balls in strips of cloth and hang them around the area that the bees usually visit. This sometimes works.

Bees are an important part of the ecosystem, and are vital to our human urvival. So, try to find ways of dealing with bees that do not involve killing them. Some ideas have been suggested above, if you search around, you can find many more.

Most Apartment Associations and Housing Societies are run by volunteers and most of them do not have necessary technical background that is necessary to ensure proper maintenance of the critical assets like Water Treatment Plants, RO Water Plants, DG Sets etc. Typically the operations and maintenance of these assets are outsourced by the managing committee with a hope that the agencies maintain them professionally. More often that not, no one in the managing committee is even aware how to check if the assets are being maintained and operated properly. Due to this, associations typically end up with sudden huge expenses towards the repair/re-installation of these assets.

In an attempt to help all housing societies and apartment associations, ApnaComplex, with the help of Mr. Ranganathan – Water Management Consultant, presents below an guide / checklists on Water Treatment Plants Operation and Maintenance.

Why Water Treatment Plant?

Today water used in apartment complexes and gated communities is obtained partly from bore wells or from tanker water suppliers. Invariably, the water has a total mineral content higher than the “desirable” value specified in BIS-10500 which is the official Indian standard for water used for human consumption. A high mineral content means that the total hardness of the water will also be high and cause problems like scaling of hot water geysers, choking of pipes, poor quality of washing in machines etc. This is often taken care of by installing a water softening plant (also called as Water Treatment Plant). Refer our other article on “Water Treatment in times of Water Scarcity” to know more about the importance of Water Treatment Plants

How does a Water Softener Plant work?

A water softener plant comprises a pressure vessel made of either mild steel or fiberglass composite. It contains a bed of ion exchanger( normally called resin) which softens water. The pressure vessel is fitted with external piping fitted with valves. The softener plant is also provided with a tank in which a specified quantity of salt is filled in and water allowed in by means of the valve provided for this purpose. The water dissolves the salt to make a solution of brine (this is what a salt solution is called).

The resin bed inside is capable of removing hardness from the hard water passing through it . The quantity of water thus softened depends entirely on the hardness of the water and the capacity of the resin. When the capacity of the resin to soften water is exhausted, it has to be regenerated by injecting a solution of salt solution (brine) into it to prepare the resin to soften more water. The manufacturer of the softener is normally supposed to provide a detailed Operation & Maintenance manual which gives detailed instructions on how to operate the unit and regenerate it.

This manual indicates the total capacity of the softener to soften water before it is exhausted (this capacity is called Output Between Regenerations or OBR). The manual also indicates how many kilos of salt are to be filled in to the salt tank to prepare brine for one re-generation. It gives detailed instructions on how to operate the valves on the unit to inject brine into the softener, rinse off the excess brine and then prepare it to produce soft water for another cycle of operation.

Every softener plant must have a water meter fitted at the inlet so that the quantity of water softened can be monitored. The water meter also helps in measuring the water used for regeneration since this water goes to drain and usually ends up in the STP (Sewage Treatment Plant). Every softener operator must have a hardness testing kit so that he will know when the softener is producing soft water and when it is exhausted.

Following two procedures must be followed by Operators for proper Operation of Water Treatment Plant. In most associations, the operations are outsourced to an agency, even then it is imperative that Managing Committee members verify the log books and the hardness reports once every fifteen days to ensure the softener plant is operating properly.

Procedure for regeneration of an exhausted softener

1. Make a note of the water meter reading in the log book.
2. Start backwash if the softener manual calls for it. Carry out backwash for the specified duration.
3. Inject the salt solution(brine) into the softener.
4. When brine injection is over, start the process of rinse to remove all the excess brine.
5. When end of rinse is approaching, take a sample of rinse water and test for hardness.
6. If the hardness is within the figure specified in the manual, usually about 10.00 ppm., stop rinse and open soft water outlet valve and make a note of the water meter reading.

How to know when to Re-generate

1. When water meter reading shows that softener has treated almost the quantity as per OBR, take a sample of soft water and test it using the test kit. It is critical to note that with out a proper log book and Water Meter, it is not possible to accurately know the amount of water treated since last regeneration.
2. If the hardness is higher than 10.00 ppm, and the OBR figure has been reached, shut down the softener, prepare it for regeneration and carry out the regeneration as per procedure given above.

Very Important Points

1. Approximately 95% of the apartment complexes Mr. Ranganathan visited in the last 8 years had no documents/manual for the softener and have operators without relevant knowledge, experience or training in softener operation. So, the first step is to get the manual from the supplier/manufacturer as it is critical. If this is not possible, approach an expert with correct/relevant expertise for help.
2. The next step is to read the manual . This is invariably the most difficult step – but there must be few members in the society who must read the manual and understand how their Water Treatment Plant works. If we buy a new electric/electronic appliance such as Microwave in the house, we do glance through the manual – don’t we? Water Treatment Plant is more costlier and many times more critical piece of equipment that owners of apartments have invested in. The more number of people know about the plant the better it is. Some members with relevant background can go through the manual and share the details with the larger community in meetings in simpler language. (By the way, you can upload the electronic/scanned versions of the manuals into the Document Repository of ApnaComplex – easy way to store all documents in a central place).
3. Timing given in the manual for the various sequences which are part of operation must be strictly followed.
4. All the sequences of operation given in the manual must be carried out exactly as specified. All this data must be logged into a log book as it will help with troubleshooting if needed. It is critical to ensure log book is maintained by the operator and monitored by the committee frequently.
5. If these procedures are not followed DO NOT WASTE TIME and MONEY on the softener. Any amount of salt will not help soften the water if the re-generation is not done in time.

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This article aims at providing information for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. Mr. S.S. Ranganathan, who provided inputs for this post, is a retired senior executive of Ion Exchange and currently a freelance Water Management Consultant based in Bangalore. He can be reached at +91-93437-34229.

ApnaComplex is an housing society / apartment accounting and management software. We are offering a 30-day no obligation free trial for every complex. Go ahead and register your complex and see how you can manage your complex more easily, efficiently, and effectively.

Any housing society will need a good service staff so that its residents find it easier to get their job done. Along with a good set of people who can take care of the apartment’s maintenance, the apartment association should also hire security guards and housekeeping staff, as these are key roles that need to be filled.

Members of the apartment association will find that they have a multitude of options in hand, when it comes to hiring security personnel and housekeeping staff. They should list out all their options and try and get the best bargains, so that they can keep their overall expenditure minimal.

Choosing A Security Agency:

When it comes to selecting the right security agency, there are many factors that the association in a housing society can consider to get a good bargain:

• The reliability quotient involved with the security agency. Some agencies will be well known and they’ll offer their services to apartment complexes and commercial regions all around town. These agencies can be considered first and their offers compared.
• The managing committee should check whether the number of shifts that the security agency provides is adequate. Some security agencies might send two guards through the day, while other might send three.
• While hiring security personnel, it’s important to take their experience into account. Security men with proper training will be able to respond to threats in a more effective manner.
• The versatility of such security personnel can also be considered. They should be able to support the maintenance crew if there are any sudden problems, and they should also know how to administer first aid if there are any accidents within the complex.
• The roles of these security guards should be made clear firstly, and their many tasks should be correctly specified. Details on whether they have to guard the gate and take note of all outside vehicles that enter the housing society should be put down.

Choosing The Housekeeping Staff:

A housing society can either have its own housekeeping staff or it can let the residents choose their staff for themselves. Having a standard housekeeping staff is better, because the staff members will be known and familiar individuals, bringing down security concerns by a great margin.

The following factors should be considered so that the association can get a good bargain:

• The tasks of the housekeeping staff need to be listed down. Housekeeping services in India include washing, sweeping, cleaning and dusting services so these should all be taken into account.
• The working hours of these individuals should also be properly specified.
• Their monthly salaries and any bonuses that should be given during the festive season should be noted.
• The number of days that the housekeeping staff can take leave should also be mentioned.

Once all these factors are taken into account and the many options are considered, it’ll be easier for a housing society to choose the right personnel for good rates.

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This article aims at collating and providing information for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. While ApnaComplex has taken every care to ensure the information is accurate, we suggest to please use it only as a guidance for further discussion and action with help of relevant professionals.