The Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB) is vested with the responsibility of supplying water to a population of 1.5 lakh in the city. However, it is in a dilemma, left with no source of water to supply.
The city requires 12 lakh gallons of drinking water everyday, but gets only two to three lakh gallons of water from the Bethamangala reservoir.
To fulfill the rest of the requirement, the KUWSDB struggles to supply from the borewells. The reservoir has been full to the brim only once in the last five years. Once it is full, the city gets water for two years.
Rains add to woes
However, due to scanty rainfall during the last three years the water in the reservoir is dwindling. At present, the water storage in the tank is enough only for the next two months.
The Bethamangala reservoir is filled with silt. The water storage capacity of the reservoir can be increased if the reservoir is desilted. The KUWSB officials have submitted several reports on the need for desilting the reservoir. However, there has been no response from the Government.
Turning to tankers
The citizens of Kolar Gold Fields are now dependent on water supplied through tankers. As many as 150 tankers bring water every day from the outskirts. A pot of drinking water costs Rs 1.50.
Apart from the reservoir, efforts have been made to augment the supply of water to Kolar Gold Fields. Even if there is water in the heart of the mining centre it is not possible to make good use of it due to the many rules and restrictions of the government and the lethargy of the bureaucrats.
The BGML still uses water from the sink near Krishnapura. The officials of KUWSB who had inspected the sink were of the opinion that it can provide enough water to supply to the city. However there was no further action on their part.