Cauvery stage 5 in Bengaluru: Only 83,000 connections completed out of 4 lakh target

BWSSB had set a goal of providing over four lakh Cauvery water connections across 110 villages.

At a time when Bengaluru residents dependent on private water tankers are grappling with rising costs this summer, areas with newly established Cauvery water connections have seen a sharp decline in demand for tankers.

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However, such areas remain limited, as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) struggles to meet its ambitious targets under the Cauvery Stage V project, The Hindu reported.

According to a report by the publication, BWSSB had set a goal of providing over four lakh Cauvery water connections across 110 villages, but data reveals that only around 83,000 connections have been granted so far, less than a quarter of the target.

Of these, 55,000 connections were secured years before the project’s official commissioning in October 2024, indicating that only 30,000 new connections have been added in the last six months, despite multiple special drives.

‘Cauvery on Wheels’

With borewells drying up and tanker water prices soaring in the city’s outer zones, BWSSB is set to expand its ‘Cauvery on Wheels’ initiative from April 1, the report further added. Under this scheme, residents can book Cauvery water tankers via a mobile app.

While the price for water tankers under this initiative is yet to be finalized, BWSSB has assured that it will be lower than the high rates currently charged by private operators. The board hopes this move will help regulate the market and bring down the cost of tanker water.

One of the biggest hurdles to increasing Cauvery water connections has been the high pro-rata and installation charges, discouraging many residents from opting for them. To address this, BWSSB will introduce an EMI (equated monthly installment) scheme starting April 1.

Under the new scheme, residents will need to pay 20 per cent of the total connection charges upfront, while the remaining 80 per cent can be paid over 12 monthly installments, added to their water bills.