Summer ahead, do we have enough water?

If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water,’ wrote Loren Eiseley; but the ‘magic’ is fast disappearing from Bengaluru’s once lush land if one is to go by a report by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc). And it’s all happening because the ground water table in the city which once housed a thousand lakes, is fast depleting. Last year, Bengaluru witnessed a shortage of around 775 million litres a day owing to a failed monsoon and the depleted groundwater table.

At risk are as many as 80 of the around 200 civic wards in the city which also include the 110 villages, added to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) a couple of decades ago to make it a vastly expanded metropolis. While there is not much point in blaming the deficient monsoon which could be happening because of climate change and due to a host of other natural factors, the constant drilling in every nook and corner of the city in search of elusive water is what is leaving the earth parched and waterless. According to the study, the groundwater level has dropped several metres in many places in the city making borewell digging a costly affair no doubt. That is however not deterring building contractors and apartment owners who keep on sinking their machines deep into the earth-even a thousand feet- till they strike water. And if one can get borewell water for free, why rely on the BWSSB’s Cauvery State V for which the water board has invited applications some time ago? No wonder, the response to Cauvery Stage V has not been as enthusiastic as the water board expected it to be.

While this could also be due to the time and effort involved in laying the extensive pipeline, there is no doubting the fact that people are taking the easy way out by drilling recklessly with or without permission. People still shudder when they recall the dry days of the summer of 2024 when they had to run helter-skelter for water. Taps went dry and tanker owners made a killing as vast swatches of the city waited helplessly for water. Youngsters residing in paying guest accommodations (PGs) recall with horror how they had to go to public toilets for fulfilling basic necessities with many relying on costly drinking water bought in bottles to freshen themselves up. The question many are asking is whether it is going to happen again this year with the summer months fast approaching. Civic authorities, elected representatives and the water board will obviously have to do a lot more to make sure 2024 does not repeat for it dealt a severe blow to the image of the IT City as an ideal destination for business and industry. Firstly the price at which tankers sell water will have to be strictly regulated so that anyone out to make a killing from any likely water shortage is not tempted to do so.

Often, those running short of water are forced to shell out a thousand bucks for a tanker of water when it should not cost more than 300 or 400 rupees.Then comes the question of making Cauvery water consumers aware of the acute need to conserve water instead of wastefully spraying it over their gardens or terraces. They should also be encouraged to use recycled water for gardening and other non-drinking purposes so that precious resources are saved as much as possible.And last but not the least, the plugging of water leakages should be done expeditiously so that those who resort to illegal means to do this are thwarted. It’s only by adopting a proactive approach rather than allowing water to be frittered away that Bengaluru can look forward to a water-surplus future.