BENGALURU: Just three weeks ago, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was taking elaborate steps to ready its old pumps so that an additional 50 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water can be pumped from April 15  to augment its 1450 MLD so that the city is prepared for the summer.

However, the closure of most commercial establishments and government offices functioning with skeletal capacity has rendered the need for extra water unnecessary now.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, Engineer-in-Chief Kemparamaiah said, “The demand from malls, hotels and other commercial establishments has completely stopped since the national lockdown was announced. This has left us with a good surplus which we are now diverting to hospitals and police stations where there is a high demand. With most people staying inside home, the household consumption has gone up. The call to wash hands repeatedly and possibly extra baths being taken at home is a reason.”

S V Ramesh, Chief Engineer, Cauvery, BWSSB, said, “The Water Board is fully prepared to supply an extra 50 MLD but it was not required anymore. The same 1450 MLD is being pumped even now."

A senior official said that out of the 9.8 lakh water connections in the city, around one lakh were non-domestic connections. “However high the consumption in case of some establishments, we can safely say that it will not exceed 25% of the overall water we supply.  Many of them have completely closed the water valve and locked their companies,” he said.

An official who takes care of tanker supply said there was a complete lack of demand this year.  “Since the water supply department is able to supply adequate water across the city, there is no demand for tankers now. Barring a couple of requests across our Division offices, the tankers are largely unused but kept ready for emergencies. April is usually a peak period in demand for water from Bengalureans," he said.