JOIN USHigh time BWSSB streamlined supply
Bengaluru often receives rainfall that even leads to flooding, but year after year, the city suffers from an acute shortage of drinking water. The summer has just begun, and it is the same story this year with supply from the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) being severely affected in many areas. The city largely depends on water pumped from the Cauvery about 100 km away. With the catchment area receiving less rainfall this year, the water flow has receded. Consumption during summer usually goes up by about 5 per cent. The BWSSB has claimed that there is no shortfall in supply. The shortage experienced in some places could then be because of mismanagement of supply. According to reports, in some areas like OMBR Layout, which is a BDA area in East Bengaluru, there was no supply for a week. The authorities have given various reasons for the disruption–no supply from the main station, power outage, and motor repairs. Whatever the reason, there can’t be any reason to deny water supply for a week. Citizens complain that they get no helpful response from BWSSB officials. They often accuse the officials of creating an artificial scarcity in collusion with the water tanker lobby.
Bengaluru is witnessing an increasing gap between supply and demand. Leakage, wastage and illegal connections may have added to the problem. The city woefully lags behind in rainwater harvesting, recycling of water and protection of water bodies. The BWSSB has often urged citizens not to waste Cauvery water and advised them to use treated water in toilets and gardens and to wash vehicles. But even treated water is not available. The situation in a majority of 110 villages added to Bengaluru is worse as they have to depend entirely on borewells, which are fast going dry, or tankers.
There are suggestions that Bengaluru can become self-reliant only when water harvesting becomes widespread, and lakes are rejuvenated to retain water. But less than 200 of the 1,500 lakes that once dotted the city have survived. Studies indicate that over 70 per cent of the city’s water needs can be met by rainwater harvesting, which has not really caught on. But these are long-term solutions. The immediate need is to provide the minimum daily requirement of water to every family. The BWSSB makes that commitment when it provides a water connection to a family. It cannot cite excuses for its failure. It must ensure fair and efficient distribution and regular supply to every locality.