Several parts of Bangalore are reeling under an acute water shortage crisis, with bore-wells drying up faster than ever before. With there being almost little to no water in the bore-wells, residents in various pockets of the city are now completely dependent upon private water suppliers to meet their demand for water.
In peripheral areas like Whitefield, the water crisis has been a long-standing affair. The summer months have only made it harder for residents in this neighbourhood. People are dependent on bore-wells and private water-tankers to meet their daily requirements. But with bore-wells mushrooming in every apartment complex, ground water has depleted over the years.
“Water levels in bore-wells have gone down to 1400 feet, and a lot more electricity is needed to pump water out from these levels. It is not very cost-efficient,” laments Sudansu, a resident from Whitefield. Furthermore, the water pumped out from these bore-wells is simply not enough to meet the needs of large apartment complexes in the area.
Adding to the woes of residents is that the water supplied by tankers is not consumable. “The quality of the water supplied is consistently bad because the hardness in the water is more than expected. At least with bore-wells, the water would remain consistently good, irrespective of the levels,” says Sudansu. These suppliers charge Rs.500 for an 8000-litre tanker and Rs.650-700 for a 12000-litre tanker. “As exorbitant as the prices may seem, people are ready to pay for them,” he says.
In Electronic City, the situation has worsened over the past two years. With depleting ground water levels and no government supply, the private water suppliers rule this neighbourhood. “There is no yield from bore-wells in Electronic City. We are completely dependent on private water tankers to meet our demands. The monthly water expense totals up to Rs.20 lakhs in my apartment”, says Vishal Mittal, who stays in an upscale apartment in Electronic City. Residents have very little options when rates increase by at least 15 to 20 per cent every summer.
And the prices may rocket further before monsoon sets in. When The News Minute spoke to a few water suppliers from the city last month, they anticipated demand to increase by 30 per cent as more bore-wells run dry.