Cauvery to slake thirst of residents in outskirts

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will supply Cauvery drinking water to residents on the outskirts of the City from June this year, Minister for Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, S Suresh Kumar, said on Tuesday.

The ongoing Cauvery IV stage, II phase drinking water project will be completed by April-end. It will bring an additional 500 million litres per day (MLD) of water, enabling the Water Board to provide piped water supply in the erstwhile seven city municipal council and one town municipal council limits, the minister said in reply to a question on the scarcity of water, raised by Congress member N L Narendra Babu in the Assembly.

The project will benefit residents of the erstwhile Bangalore Mahananagara Palike areas also. Once an additional 500 MLD of water is pumped in, the pressure will increase and automatically supply in the core city areas will improve, he said.

On Babu’s complaint that most areas in the Mahalakshmi Layout constituency were getting drinking water supply only once in 15 days, Kumar said the BWSSB has been taking steps to ensure supply every two days.

The BWSSB is preparing a detailed plan for the summer months, including sinking borewells and supplying water in tankers in parched areas.

Besides, efforts are being made to revive the Thippagondanahalli reservoir, once a major source of drinking water for Bangalore. A task force comprising officials of about 15 departments has been set up to clear encroachments and prevent pollution of the reservoir, he added.