One of the biggest issues that Bengaluru is currently staring at is the lack of investment in water supply and sewerage network, which can lead to water crisis. We are living in a city with a population of over 30 million. We completely depend upon Cauvery river water supply, which is managed by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). Because of lack of funding and manpower, it is not being able to expand its infrastructure to cover the city.
We are not focussing on institution building and making sure that it is capable of delivering the requirement. Though Bengaluru had many lakes back in the days, it was always considered insufficient to meet the city’s water requirement. We had given up on the lakes as a source of water supply since 1984. But that does not mean lakes are not important. They are important for sociological purposes and can never be used for drinking purposes. People have this misconception that reviving lakes can fix any kind of water issue but there is more to it.
This year, we are lucky as water levels are at an optimum level at Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, so we will be assured of 1,450 million litres by the end of this summer. But that does not mean the citizen’s part is any less important. One of the things that we as a citizen can do is use water efficiently and prudently. The second thing is we have to make sure that we are ready for the rains with rainwater harvesting. Recycle and reuse water wherever possible. Bengalureans, for now, have been quite efficient with our water consumption – with 100 litre per capita per day, but I feel certain household with lawns and gardens can do better. Solution: It would be a huge game changer if the government starts putting larger investments in BWSSB. We are one of the fastest growing economies right now and keeping that in mind, we have to build the strength of BWSSB in terms of human resource and finances to make sure that every house in Bengaluru has a proper water and sanitation connection. We need to have a proper network in place to make sure that everything goes on smoothly.
Dr Vishwanath Srikantaiah
Water activist and urban planner
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