Bengaluru has water reserves for only 5-6 months if rain fails: BWSSB chief
Bengaluru, July 30
The state capital could face a drinking water shortage within the next five to six months if Karnataka does not receive adequate rainfall, Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board Chairperson Dr N. Manjula said on Thursday.
Addressing reporters, Manjula said the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir presently holds a gross storage of 20 TMC of water, of which only 14 to 15 TMC is available for drinking water purposes.
"On an average, Bengaluru requires around 2.2 tmcft of water every month. If the available water is reserved exclusively for the city, it would be sufficient for about five to six months. However, water from KRS is also supplied to other cities and towns, and that needs to be taken into account," she said.
The BWSSB Chairperson cautioned that a prolonged deficit in rainfall during the ongoing monsoon could result in a water crisis in the state capital.
"If good rains do not occur, Bengaluru will face a shortage of water. We are closely monitoring the situation," she said.
Manjula said BWSSB has already activated its "Sanchari Cauvery" initiative to ensure water supply through tankers in areas experiencing scarcity. Currently, around 150 to 200 tanker trips are being undertaken every day, while the board has the capacity to scale up operations to nearly 1,000 trips daily if required.
"We have been monitoring the situation for the past two months. As of now, demand for tanker water is not very high," she said.
Appealing to citizens to use water responsibly, Manjula urged residents to avoid wastage and adopt conservation measures as a precaution.
She also expressed optimism over weather forecasts predicting moderate rainfall in the Western Ghats and the Cauvery catchment areas, which are expected to contribute to inflows into the KRS reservoir.
"There are predictions of moderate rainfall in the Cauvery basin, and inflows are continuing. We will have to wait and see how the situation develops over the coming weeks," she added.
Her remarks come amid concerns over below-normal rainfall in several parts of Karnataka and increasing apprehension about the availability of drinking water in Bengaluru if monsoon inflows into major reservoirs remain inadequate.
It can be noted that the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days, totalling about 4 tmcft, starting July 29.
Karnataka has challenged this directive before the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) due to severe storage deficits. The issue has also taken a political turn with the BJP accusing the Congress government of failing to present the interests of Karnataka state effectively before the CWRC.
— IANS
Reader Comments
150-200 tanker trips daily and they say demand isn't high? 😅 Meanwhile in my area (Whitefield) we haven't seen a proper water supply in weeks. The BWSSB "Sanchari Cauvery" initiative sounds good on paper but ground reality is different. Instead of political blame games, the government should focus on rainwater harvesting and recycling treated water. We can't keep depending on Cauvery forever.
This is a serious wake-up call for Bengaluru. As an IT professional who moved here from the US, I'm shocked at how little infrastructure planning exists for water scarcity. In California, they have desalination plants and aggressive water recycling. Here, we're still arguing over river sharing. Both state governments need to sit together and find a permanent solution - politics should not come in the way of people's basic needs.
Honest question: When will we learn? Every summer we panic, every monsoon we hope. BWSSB should implement mandatory rainwater harvesting in all apartments and commercial buildings. I see new high-rises coming up without any water conservation measures. And yes, we need to pressure the CWMA to consider Karnataka's situation - our farmers and city dwellers can't suffer for political point-scoring.
It's sad to see Bengaluru's transformation from a garden city to a water-stressed metropolis. I've lived here for 10 years and the lakes have either disappeared or become sewage dumps. Why can't we rejuvenate local water bodies like in Kerala? The BWSSB chief's call for responsible usage is valid but citizens need infrastructure to actually save water. We still don't have dual plumbing for treated water in most apartments.
R We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.