Summer is yet to officially begin, but several neighbourhoods, especially those in the five outer zones of the city, are already facing water shortage. Residents in some of the affected areas, such as Ramamurthy Nagar, Singasandra, Byatarayanapura, Jakkur, Devarabisanahalli and Bellandur, are heavily dependent on tanker water. The problem is exacerbated by depleting water levels in borewells.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is still far from completing the project to provide drinking water and sanitary connections in the 110 villages and the erstwhile City Municipal Council (CMC) areas.
Padmanabhaiah Veluru, a resident of Kanakagiri Layout in Ramamurthy Nagar, said though the water pipeline work had been completed over a year ago, they are still dependent on three public borewells. “However, with groundwater levels coming down, we know that summer is going to be tough. Residents have already been warned that supply may be reduced to twice a week,” he said. In areas like Jakkur, Ramamurthy Nagar and Horamavu, the water utility has completed laying water pipelines. However, despite its many appeals, many citizens are yet to apply for individual connections.
Jakkur councillor K.A. Muneendra Kumar, who is also the ruling party leader, claimed that councillors of wards in the five outer zones had been providing water through tankers to residents for free. “Residents are used to getting free water. They now don’t want to spend money on individual water connections,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, for the parts of the city it supplies water to, BWSSB officials said that every day, the water utility draws 1,450 MLD (million litres per day). In January, a representative from the BWSSB had informed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike council that there was enough water to tide over the summer months.
‘Enough Cauvery water’
Reiterating that there is enough water in the Cauvery (KRS and Kabini reservoirs) to tide the city over the summer, the official, who is in charge of drinking water supply, told The Hindu that water issues could be a result of localised distribution network problems. The official also said that BWSSB could supply water to a particular area if at least 85% of the residents have applied for and have been sanctioned individual water connections.