Bangalore’s drinking water crisis is not going to end in a hurry. But, the year 2012 witnessed the pinnacle of this crisis, particulary during summer.
Residents of the newly added BBMP areas, however, had a reason for some hope by the end of the year with the commissioning of the much-awaited Cauvery IV stage II phase by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in October.
The last and the final drawal from the Cauvery basin to the City will be supplying an additional 500 million litres (mld) of water per day wherein the City will be receiving a total of 1,400 mld by January 2013.
Although BWSSB wanted to commission the project by March 2012, the Board faced unprecedented problems delaying the project by nearly eight months. Although water problems would be addressed for the time being, it is predicted that with the growth of the City, the demand for water is only going to increase.
BWSSB also got the control of borewells in the City through the Karnataka Groundwater Regulation Act under the Karnataka Groundwater Authority. It was authorised BWSSB as the implementing agency in the City.
This means that no borewell can be sunk without the permission of the Board. There are additional rules too, which make it compulsory for every driller and every borewell owner to register with the Board. The regulating authority is expected to bring down the indiscriminate borewell sinking in the City.
However, many feel that the penalty for violations is too less to act as a deterrent.
Despite encouraging citizens to adopt rainwater harvesting, the Board only managed to get over 40,000-odd houses to incorporate the RWH systems. With over 35 percent of water going down the drain due to old pipelines, the Board has taken the initiative to curb the leakage with the ‘unaccounted for water’ (UFW) project.
However, the Board has not been able to educate the citizens to use water judiciously. Experts say that Bangalore will have to learn the value of water in a much harder way when water becomes the most priced commodity in the City very soon.
With increasing demand for water, BWSSB also set up an expert committee to look into the long and short term plans to procure water. Among the short term plans, the Board has planned to curb the leakages and adopt measures of reclamation of water and reusing it for non-potable purpose. In regard to long-term plans, the expert committee had recommended diversion of West flowing rivers like Hemavathi and Nethravathi. This has attracted much criticism for being economically not viable and not eco-friendly.
Milestones
March 31
Deadline set up by BWSSB to the citizens to adopt rainwater harvesting. The date has been indefinitely postponed.
September 11
Trial run of BWSSB’s Cauvery IV stage II phase launched at Thorekadanahalli
(T K Halli).
October 31
Commissioning of Cauvery IV stage II phase water supply from Jambusavari Dinne.
December 3
Permit made compulsory for new borewells and registration of all existing borewells. BWSSB appointed the implementing authority.