Parts of Bengaluru have been facing severe water woes for the last few months, and in recent days, things have worsened for residents of the city. Areas like Mahadevapura, Whitefield and Varthur, which have many high-rise apartments and posh communities, are mainly facing the heat in the crisis. People living in Bengaluru will face a 24-hour water supply disruption starting 6am on February 27 onwards till 6am on February 28. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) announced the shutdown to conduct essential maintenance work and install Unaccounted For Water (UFW) bulk flow meters.
On Tuesday, the BWSSB asked people to stay cautious while using the water.
Also Read - Parts of Bengaluru to face water supply disruption today. Live updates
How Bengaluru gets water?
Most parts of Bengaluru get water from the Cauvery River with authorised BWSSB connections. The city is reportedly getting 1,450 million litres of Cauvery water per day and still is falling short of the requirement. Roughly 1,700 million litres of water per day is required for Bengaluru city for its daily needs.
However, those who do not have a Cauvery water connection have been getting water from their borewells and water tankers. Most of the swanky apartments in east Bengaluru depend entirely on these borewells and water tankers.
Why is there a severe water crisis in Bengaluru?
Though there are multiple reasons for the current severe water woes in the IT hub, severe drought is considered one of the significant reasons. The lack of rainfall in the past year has decreased water levels in the Cauvery River and not just the drinking water, but there has been a shortfall in the supply of water for irrigation needs as well. The borewells in Bengaluru, too, are running dry due to deficit rainfall in the past few months.
{{/usCountry}}Though there are multiple reasons for the current severe water woes in the IT hub, severe drought is considered one of the significant reasons. The lack of rainfall in the past year has decreased water levels in the Cauvery River and not just the drinking water, but there has been a shortfall in the supply of water for irrigation needs as well. The borewells in Bengaluru, too, are running dry due to deficit rainfall in the past few months.
{{/usCountry}}People also allege that Bengaluru water tankers are trying to benefit from the crisis and charging exorbitant amounts from the residents. A 1000-litre water tanker that used to cost ₹600 to ₹800 is now costing more than ₹2000; most of the apartments dependent on water tankers have no way other than buying from these water suppliers. They also demand the government to put a price cap on these water tankers and restrict them from overcharging.
People were seen standing in long lines holding water cans for drinking water in Bengaluru in the recent past. Though the city has been facing minor drinking water problems for a long time now, water shortages of this extent are rare.
What is Karnataka government doing?
The BBMP has noted the urgency of the situation, and on Saturday, a level meeting was conducted to handle the situation. The civic body allocated a substantial budget of ₹131 crores for drilling bore wells in priority zones, including Mahadevpur, RR Nagar, Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, and Yelahanka, and 110 surrounding areas.
In an announcement, BBMP said, “Efforts are also underway to address the depletion of tubewells within the city. With more than 1,200 tubewells dried up out of 10.84 lakh connections, authorities have prioritised repairs and maintenance to restore their functionality.”