BENGALURU: Once known as ‘Garden City’, Bengaluru faced severe water scarcity last year, and is expected to encounter the same crisis this year. Experts warn that unless proper demand and groundwater management plan is implemented, the city will continue to reel under water scarcity every year.
To begin with, hydrologists point out that a dedicated groundwater cell should be created within Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), staffed with experts who can manage and monitor groundwater resources. They explain that this cell, when created, will be able to track water table levels, the health of aquifers, and areas which are over-extracted. With this data, the cell can recommend sustainable water use practices, prevent excessive depletion, and implement recharge strategies to restore aquifers.
An expert, who was previously with the state Irrigation department, explained to TNIE that areas that rely entirely on groundwater are at the highest risk of facing severe water shortage, as they have no alternative sources of supply. Moreover, areas that rely on groundwater and have dried-up lakes are among the most vulnerable, as they have no backup water sources.
“The drop in groundwater level is a natural cycle that happens every year, so the condition Bengaluru may face in the coming months is not new. However, the critical question is — whether groundwater will be entirely exhausted or some reserves will still be available,” the official emphasised.
Water conservation expert Vishwanath Srikantaiah stressed that the water crisis is primarily due to excessive groundwater extraction without sufficient recharge. “We are drawing more water than nature can replenish, leading to a steady decline in groundwater levels. The absence of a proper groundwater management plan has worsened the situation, as there are no effective measures in place to regulate usage, promote recharge, or ensure long-term sustainability,” he said.
The main challenge is to extend water supply to as many areas as possible, as quickly as possible. If this is delayed, more places will be forced to rely only on groundwater, making the shortage worse, he added, and suggested that to address the growing water crisis, a groundwater cell of experts should be set up. “Without specialized oversight, the unchecked depletion of groundwater will continue, worsening the situation,” Srikantaiah said.
He added that it is also crucial to map sub-aquifers, identifying underground water reserves, assessing their storage capacity, and tracking current withdrawal rates. This data will help in better groundwater planning and prevent over-extraction.
Another key step is to improve waste water treatment by upgrading all sewage treatment plants (STPs) to the tertiary level, Srikantaiah said, adding that regular monitoring of groundwater recharge rates is also necessary to understand how much water is being replenished and to adjust extraction accordingly.
Experts opine that a more effective approach is to adopt Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM), which focuses on using all available water sources — often referred to as the six taps. These include surface water (rivers and reservoirs), groundwater, rainwater harvesting, desalinated water, recycled waste water, and storm water. By efficiently combining these sources, we can reduce dependence on a single supply and build resilience against shortages, they said.