Bengaluru may be staring at water crisis as water level at KRS dam drops
Bengaluru may be staring at water crisis as water level at KRS dam drops

Bengaluru may be staring at water crisis as water level at KRS dam drops

Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru depend heavily on the water from the dam.

Bengaluru may be on the brink of a drinking water crisis, after water levels at the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir reportedly fell to 76.9 feet against a capacity of 124.80 feet.

According to a report in the Times of India, Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru which depend heavily on the Cauvery, could be staring at a drinking water crisis if the level falls below 74 feet. 

74 feet is considered the dead storage level.

The TOI report also quotes a source in the irrigation department as saying, "Though we can draw water from the dead storage, it would be very hazardous from the point of view of the reservoir's safety."

Reporting that the “usable water” KRS is only half-a-tmcft, The Hindu reported that the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd (CNNL) had decided to request the authorities to initiate plans to ration water in KRS dependent places.

The report also added that the present water level was sufficient for domestic consumption for the next few weeks. 

With barely any rains in October in Karnataka, according to the State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, it has been the driest October in the last 45 years.

According to Director of KSNDMC, Dr GS Srinivasa Reddy, the state was to receive about 128 mm of rainfall in October, however, it has received only 28mm rainfall. 

Reports also add that the direction by the Supreme Court to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu is making the situation worse, and Karnataka's best bet is to hope that its neighbour gets some rainfall.

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