Bengaluru decides to cut 20% water supply of Defense, Railways, Universities and private companies

The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has declared a significant reduction in the water supply to the city's bulk consumers in response to the escalating water crisis. The decision aims to reduce water consumption by entities using over 2 crore litres monthly, affecting 38 major users such as defense establishments, Railways, HAL, NIMHANS, Victoria Hospital, Bangalore University, and private companies with a 20% cutback.

The measure, announced after a key meeting chaired by BWSSB Chairman V Ram Prasat Manohar, is set to take effect from March 15.

Considering the well-being of the city's 1.4 crore population, BWSSB Chairman Dr Ramprasat Manohar V said,

'We should address the acute shortage in the city by cutting down the water supply to these bulk consumers and reallocating it to areas that face a shortage of drinking water. It is only reasonable."

Manohar explained that

"this amounts to 59 Million Litres a Day (MLD), and if we cut it by 20 per cent, we could save at least 10 MLD a day. We could then reallocate this to meet the needs of the urban slums."

Speaking to The Hindu, he mentioned that they have chosen to exempt hospitals such as Victoria Hospital, NIMHANS, and Command Hospital from these restrictions.

“We will gradually reduce the amount of water supplied to other users, aiming to achieve a 20% reduction by April 15. We urge these establishments to promote wise water usage on their premises,” he explained.

The BWSSB has also issued a comprehensive list detailing the areas most severely impacted by the water scarcity plaguing Bengaluru. A total of 257 areas across four zones in Garden City have been identified as bearing the brunt of the water crisis.

Affected regions  

• 1. Bengaluru South Zone: HSR Layout, Bommanahalli, Hoskerehalli, Chickpet and Yelachenahalli   

• 2. Bengaluru West Zone: Rajajinagar 6th Block, Peenya, Bagalagunte and Bapujinagar

• 3. Bengaluru East Zone: KR Puram, Ramamurthy Nagar and Marathahalli

• 4. Bengaluru North: Devara Jeevanahalli and Vyalikaval

Despite previous assurances from Manohar that the city’s water demands would be met for the next five months, the new policy reflects the growing challenges in managing the city’s water resources. With an average daily consumption of 150 litres per person, Bangalore’s total water requirement stands at 200,000 million litres per day. The BWSSB’s action underscores the situation's urgency as the city grapples with its water distribution amidst a severe shortage.

BWSSB restricts water use, fines, Residents concerned

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has issued a notification imposing strict measures to curb the misuse of potable water in Bengaluru. The new directives explicitly prohibit the use of drinking water for non-essential activities such as car washing and watering plants. Violators of these guidelines will face a hefty fine of Rs 5,000, as per the notification.

Bengaluru’s independent homeowners are concerned about the BWSSB’s water ban, which fines ₹5,000 for using potable water for non-essential purposes like car washing or gardening. Unlike apartment dwellers with STP access, these residents lack alternative water sources.

Questions arise on how the BWSSB will enforce and verify compliance. BWSSB Chairman clarified it’s not an outright ban but a call for reduced water use, allowing minimal water for essential maintenance. Enforcement will involve meter readers monitoring and penalizing violations.

In response to the water scarcity concerns, BWSSB has extended the deadline for registration of water tankers, which serve as a temporary solution for water supply issues, until March 15. Despite already having 1,530 private tankers registered on the BBMP portal, authorities anticipate a surge in registrations leading up to the extended deadline.

DK Shivakumar: Karnataka faces worst drought in 40 years

Bengaluru is currently facing a severe water shortage, with Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, D K Shivakumar, emphasizing that the state has not encountered such a drought in the last three to four decades. He highlighted the unprecedented nature of the crisis, noting the significant number of taluks now declared as drought-affected compared to previous years.

Efforts to manage the water crisis include arranging tankers for water supply and implementing measures by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). A new online system has been introduced to streamline operations and ensure effective oversight.

"A separate online system has been brought in for this and officials have been appointed to oversee this," he reiterated. "(By implementing) Cauvery fifth stage (project) -- we will make all efforts to provide Cauvery water to 110 villages (around Bengaluru) at the earliest by May last week," he said.

More than 1,500 private water tankers have registered so far to control the water "mafia", and Shivakumar further said that we have extended the time for others to register until March 15. The Police, Regional Transport Office (RTO), BBMP, and BWSSB will monitor it, and a board displaying the registration number will be on the tankers.

Tech workers leave Bengaluru due to water scarcity

Amid Bengaluru's escalating water crisis, numerous tech professionals are temporarily relocating or permanently leaving the city for their hometowns.

Sumantha, a resident of Ayyappa Nagar, KR Puram, shared with Deccan Herald his struggles with severe water scarcity in his apartment complex, pushing him to temporarily move despite paying a substantial monthly rent of Rs 25,000 for his flat. His employer's no work-from-home policy added to his challenges.

Rashmi Ravindran, a Bengaluru resident considering moving to her house in Kerala’s Wayanad, informed DH about the acute water scarcity they are experiencing, which is causing tensions among neighbours. "Having resided in Bengaluru for 15 years, we have never encountered a water shortage as severe as this one. Our independent 30x40 Banaswadi home relies on borewell water. However, the borewell supplying water has dramatically decreased in depth, yielding very little water," she said.

“The neighbours have started fighting to get water to their homes and fixing valves in front of their houses. The water flow pressure is so low that nobody gets enough.”

Anita Srinivas, another IT employee, has chosen a more permanent solution by relocating to Mumbai, where she owns a second home, to escape Bengaluru's water crisis.

How to solve Bengaluru’s water crisis?

The Karnataka government is taking urgent steps to tackle Bengaluru's water shortage, including regulating private water tanker prices. However, experts point out long-standing issues like rapid urbanization, population growth, and poor water management as key factors behind the crisis. The city's heavy reliance on the Cauvery River exacerbates the problem.

Dr Deepti Acharya, a Senior Assistant Professor at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, wrote in The Wire, “We should approach water governance with a more human-centric approach rather than a tech-centric one. By doing this, we can help common people understand what's happening with water planning and identify the real beneficiaries of water projects. We must realize that we cannot politicize a city's thirst and hence, must take immediate and effective steps sensitively."

The Karnataka Water Policy 2022 suggests solutions like recycling water, reusing treated wastewater, promoting rainwater harvesting, and better planning for industrial water usage to address Bengaluru's water woes effectively.

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