BANGALORE: Levels at the major water reservoirs in the state are at the lowest in a decade, according to the Central Water Commission.
Dams like Ghataprabha, Linganamakki, Almatti and Tungabhadra are not looking too good, according to data released by the commission.
But officials are not too worried. Top officials at the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB) and Krishna Raja Sagar Dam say they can supply water to Bangalore till September.
BWSSB chief engineer T Venkatraju said supply to Bangalore wouldn’t be hit. The board draws 600 cusecs every day from two reservoirs, KRS and Kabini.
If the monsoon improves, the reservoirs will fill up, he added. M S Ravishankar, Chairman, BWSSB, also said there was no cause for anxiety. “We pump 1,350 MLD to Bangalore. If there is any concern, the irrigation department sends notices to the board, and we bring it to the notice of the public notice and caution them.”
An irrigation official from the KRS reservoir said supply was unlikely to be affected in the next 90 days.
“Rains are expected on July 6 and 7 and if they are good, levels at these reservoirs will increase dramatically,” said a senior official from KRS.
Catchment areas in Kodagu and Hassan have witnessed good rains, and if the trend continues, the situation will be worry-free by the first week of July, said an official.
Water Resources Minister M B Patil said, “As far as drinking water is concerned, there is no problem. We will shortly prepare a report on storage and inflow in all reservoirs.”
Meanwhile, Bangalore received 26.4 mm rain on Saturday and light rain is forecast in the coming days. An official from the Met office said, “The minimum temperature will be around 23 degrees Celsius. Light to moderate rain will occur at a few places over districts of coastal, north interior and south Interior Karnataka.”