NITK Surathkal has commissioned a rainwater harvesting system with a storage capacity of 30 million litres and a water purification plant capable of treating 1 million litres a day, creating a new water-security facility for the campus in Dakshina Kannada.
The ‘NIT Lake’ facility was inaugurated by M.M. Murugappan, chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, and NITK director Professor B. Ravi. The project is intended to help the institution manage recurring water shortages during the summer months.
The rainwater harvesting lake was built in 2025 in a low-lying area in the northeastern part of the campus. The site measures 110 metres in length and 50 metres in width and was excavated to a depth of approximately five metres. Support for the construction came from alumni from the 1974, 1983 and 1999 batches, along with the NITK Alumni Association.
A water purification plant with a treatment capacity of 1 million litres a day was installed and commissioned in February 2026 with support from Petronet MHB Limited. Finnovation Tech Solutions Private Limited supported the construction of a floating pumping station and an 850-metre underground pipeline connecting the lake to the purification plant.
The treated water will be stored in sump tanks connected to the campus water-supply network. The pumping system includes two 15-horsepower open-well-type submersible pumps, each capable of pumping 25,200 litres an hour. One pump has been designated for regular operation and the other will serve as a standby unit.
NITK faces water shortages every summer, and the campus had previously encountered situations in which temporary closure became a possibility. The institution said the new system would allow stored rainwater to be treated and fed into its existing supply network during periods of scarcity.
Murugappan said the state had received less rainfall than expected this year and that there was concern about drought conditions. Against that backdrop, he said the lake and purification system would help prevent water-related difficulties on the campus during the summer. Air Marshal B.U. Chengappa, NITK Alumni Association president Niranjan Mahabalappa, faculty members and staff attended the inauguration.
