Scarce rain worsens water crisis in outer zones of Bengaluru

“Our apartment complex has 12 borewells, of which 10 have dried up. Now, we are rationing water. We are not alone. Nearly 80% of the borewells in apartments and gated communities in our region have dried up, forcing us to depend on water tankers. However, even tanker water is not available even if you are willing to pay whatever the suppliers demand,” said Sampath Ramanujam, member, Seegehalli Gram Panchayat, off Whitefield.

Vakil Garden City, an upscale gated community of 150 villas on Kanakapura Road in south Bengaluru, had four borewells to service its water needs. However, the recent rain deficit led to three of them drying up. “We dug four more borewells 10 days ago at a cost of over ₹10 lakh. Of them, only one has yielded water. In between, we were dependent on water tanker suppliers who were fleecing us. As the rains failed, the price of a tanker went up with each passing day,” said R. Shivakumar, president of the RWA.

Residents across the outskirts of Bengaluru, from Whitefield to Kanakapura Road to north Bengaluru, have similar stories to tell. Bengaluru Urban district recorded a 92% rain deficit in August, and 42% deficit in the June-August monsoon period. The result is that the drinking water crisis on the city’s outskirts — areas that are not serviced by Cauvery water supply and are dependent on borewells — has worsened.

“Our apartment complex has 12 borewells, of which 10 have dried up. Now, we are rationing water. We are not alone. Nearly 80% of the borewells in apartments and gated communities in our region have dried up, forcing us to depend on water tankers. However, even tanker water is not available even if you are willing to pay whatever the suppliers demand,” said Sampath Ramanujam, member, Seegehalli Gram Panchayat, off Whitefield.

Many people tried digging new borewells, but have found little success.

However, Mr. Ramanujam informed, groundwater levels in Mahadevapura were good in a 3-5 km radius around lakes that have been rejuvenated recently.

Ramachandraiah B. G., Director, Karnataka Ground Water Directorate, said that while the groundwater levels had improved in Bengaluru on average due to a combination of good rains, lake rejuvenation and filling up of tanks in neighbouring districts over the last four years, over-exploitation combined with the rain deficit this monsoon had resulted in drying up of shallow borewells. The Directorate will take up a study of groundwater levels in Bengaluru in the coming weeks.

James C. S., a resident of north Bengaluru, said, “We have borewells, but they have dried up this year. Finding tanker water now has become a Herculean task. Most of the suppliers turn us down saying they do not service new clients. They claim to be short of water. The few who are ready to supply tanker water are demanding exorbitant rates.”