Now, even children have discovered that the future for Bangalore as far as water is concerned is very grim, unless water recycling is taken up on a war-footing and over-exploitation of groundwater resource through bore well is regulated. Unfortunately, elders are yet to take a serious note of the ticking time-bomb.

A `Children’s investigative report on water’, conducted by the `Children’s Movement for Civic Awareness’ has expressed its concerns over government’s apathy towards unaccountability for water leakage, excessive exploitation of groundwater, not utilising full potential of recycling the water and non-promotion of rainwater harvesting.

A team of 2,000 students from 50 civic clubs of the City were part of the investigation team, which was supported by organisations like Public Affairs Committee, Swabhimana and Arghyam. The team members, mainly school students, interacted with varioius government bodies dealing with water management, including BWSSB, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Central Ground Water Board, Mines and Geology, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Forest Department, Lake Development Authority, Private Lake Developers and Apartment Promoters Association.

Quizzed over the 35-40 per cent wastage of water during distribution, BWSSB quickly admitted that public taps were not metered, which was a major cause for `Unaccounted For Water’. The other reasons include corroded old pipes, which they promised to replace in 4-5 years and several unauthorised connections.

Report findings

The report was amused over two factors : First, the helpline for reporting water leakage was under repair and the department did not had much control over the action of valve men, who are responsible for opening and closing the valves during water distribution.

Worst was the answer for a question over water tariff being low for even bigger consumers, the officials said that it was a `politically sensitive issue’.

On groundwater level and regulation of borewells, the team confronted the Mines and Geology Department, which admitted that there was no law to control private water suppliers from exploiting ground water and if the situation continued, ground water will deteriorate around Bangalore.

The officials also admitted to the investigators that ground water in several areas was not fit for domestic purpose due to high chemical and bacterial content. The investigating team also exposed the false claim by government that it was promoting ground water recharge and pointed out that concrete foot path came in the way of water seepage into the ground. All the rain water were directed to storm water drains, thus affecting ground water recharge, the report noted.

On diminishing lakes, the team confronted Lake Development Authority (LDA) and Bangalore Development Authority. LDA pleaded that it was not an enforcing authority, but only formulates policy and submits it to the government. On developing new residential layouts on tank beds, the BDA answer was astonishing. ``They were not tank beds, but just catchment areas’’.

The investigating team also failed to fix accountability over which department should be responsible for promoting rain water harvesting. At the end of the investigation, the report had a four-point plea :

*Legislation to be introduced and enforced for digging of bore wells to protect ground water resources
*Revival of open wells to be encouraged
*Awareness to people about Bangalore water situation
*A committee to coordinate with different government departments towards conserving water.

Adults voice out

*Lata Krishna Rau (BWSSB Chairperson): ``Future is not bleak, as BWSSB has plans to ensure adequate water supply in future also. Growth of the city and population is the main reason for some of the problems and it can not be tackled in one day.

``The new BDA layouts will have dual pipeline system, where the BWSSB will supply partly treated water for use of gardens.’’

*Vishwanath (Rain Water Club):  Make the report available in both Kannada and English and promote the message among elders. The nitrate content in ground water is due to sewage seeping in. The government has to take a second look on promoting open wells, which is cheap source of water as well as better quality water.

*C S Vedanth (CEO, Lake Development Authority): We do agree that some people are vandalising the lakes.

*Dr A Ravindra (Deputy Chairman, Planning Board): The report has touched the basic issue. We have a long way to go before ensuring supply of standard GDC water (150 litres a day per person) and once the Cauvery IVth stage project is over, it will be difficult to get more water for  the City.

Today, about 80 per cent of water is going waste through stormwater drains and there is a need for recycling it.