BWSSB plans to expand Cauvery water network to city outskirts

Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s outskirts like Anekal, Nelamangala, Hoskote, and Devanahalli are set to get Cauvery water in the near future.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is planning to expand its network to ensure it utilises the share of Cauvery water allotted to the city completely.

The board is working on a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Cauvery Stage VI  to get six more tmcft of water allotted to Bengaluru to the aforementioned areas.

Right now, Bengaluru uses 19 tmcft of water, and with the completion of the Cauvery Stage V project, which is close to completion, it will use up a further 10 tmcft of the 35 tmcft allotted to the city.

BWSSB chairman Dr Ram Prasath Manohar told DH that the DPR will help understand the gap between demand and supply. “The population of the city is also increasing, and we need to plan for the future. The DPR will help prevent any crisis that might emerge in the future,” he added.

Senior BWSSB officials said the board is only planning to provide a bulk supply of water to these towns. “The Urban Local Bodies (ULB) in these areas will have to take care of the pipelines and connections. The plan is to get Cauvery water till these towns,” he said.

With BWSSB nearing completion of the Cauvery Stage V project, funding for Stage VI remains a challenge. The board is exploring options such as funding by government agencies or securing loans.

““Once the DPR is ready, we will submit it to the government and let them know about the funds required. The BWSSB is in no position to fund such a big-scale project and we will have to depend on the World Bank, government agencies, or some form of loans,” the official said.

Officials said it would take at least two years for the project to begin and a further three years to complete.

Originally launched in 2017 to extend water connections to 110 villages incorporated into the BBMP limits, the Stage V project, despite facing delays, is slated for completion by May.