Mangaluru: The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal has put into operation ‘NITKere’ by connecting a 30-million-litre rainwater harvesting reservoir with a 1 MLD filtration plant through an 850m pipeline. MM Murugappan, chairperson, board of governors, NITK, and Prof B Ravi, director, NITK, inaugurated the facility on Tuesday, in the presence of Air Marshal BU Chengappa, Shri Niranjan Mahabalappa, president, alumni association, faculty, staff and students.The rainwater harvesting reservoir was created in 2025 by digging a 110x50m low-lying area to the northeast of the campus, to a depth of about 5m. This work was supported by alumni (1974, 1983 and 1999 batches) and the alumni association. In Feb, a one MLD water purification plant was set up and commissioned, with support from PETRONET MHB Limited. An innovative floating pump station and 850m underground pipeline from the reservoir to the water purification plant were supported by Finnovation Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This water will be stored in sump tanks connected to the campus water network.The pumping station floats on fibre-reinforced plastic pontoons, so no intake structure was built into the reservoir’s geomembrane-lined bed. This cuts the unusable water at the bottom of the reservoir from about 1.5m to less than half a metre. Two 15 HP open-well submersible pumps, rated at 25,200 litres per hour, have been installed—one on duty and one on standby. The HDPE pipeline runs inside stormwater drains wherever possible, and is sleeved at road crossings. Vents and drains are fitted at its high and low points. The work was personally supervised by the alumni involved.Summer shortages recur every year and have led to campus closures in the past. This year’s deficient monsoon has raised drought concerns across Karnataka. By storing rainwater and connecting it to the campus network via the purification plant, the facility is intended to help the Institute avoid such closures in summer.
