Water-starved IT firms turn austere

Techies working in Electronics City told to use water sparingly and judiciously

Techies in Electronics City are the latest victims of Bangalore’s worsening water crisis.

Faced with severe water shortage and mounting cost of ensuring regular supply, companies there have asked employees to drastically cut down the use of water in office.

Major IT companies have sent an internal circular to their employees for judicious use of water in bathrooms attached to gymnasiums, use of water from bucket instead of shower for having bath, and use of laundry services available for some hostel inmates.

Some company managements have also taken tough decisions to close gymnasiums during weekends and to restrict the use of swimming pools.

Prakash (name changed), an employee of Infosys, who regularly visits the gym on the office premises, confirmed he had received an internal circular. “We received the circular two weeks ago. The company wants to curb the use of water unnecessarily and create awareness about saving water,” he added.

Water audit

For the many companies, buying water and ensuring regular supply has become an expensive proposition. With summer getting hotter, the costs are anything but going northward. According to ELCIA (Electronic City Industries’ Association) president Babu Rangaswamy, the association spends more than Rs 1 crore on water, which includes charges paid to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) for supply of Cauvery water, payment for borewell water, buying water from private water tankers and cans of drinking water.

“We receive water from various sources. Despite having rainwater harvesting and using water from sewage treatment plants, water is still expensive. We are planning to have a water audit to check individual company’s consumption of water,” he added.

Electronics City currently receives over 28 million litres of Cauvery water in a month through a pipeline from Kodichikkanahalli, which is sold by the BWSSB on commercial rate of Rs 60 per kilo litre. ELCIA pays close to Rs 17 lakh per month as water charges to the BWSSB. The water is used only for potable purpose. The association also supplies this water to the nearby villages Konappana Agrahara and Doddathogur through tankers for free.

Electronics City is one of India's largest electronic industrial parks, spread over 332 acres. It houses over 150-odd companies, including apartment complexes, a few management colleges and service provider outlets. Nearly 80 per cent of employees belong to IT and ITES companies and 20 per cent belong to the manufacturing industries.