Civic authorities in Bengaluru have now devised a plan to refill drying lakes with 1,300 million litres per day of treated water to address Bengaluru's water scarcity issue.
The move aims to replenish groundwater sources in the city, where approximately 50 percent of borewells have dried up.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will oversee the implementation of this strategy, which includes installing filter borewells and constructing water plants near restored lake beds using innovative technology.
These measures, conducted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), are expected to inject an additional 20–30 million litres per day (MLD) of water into the system.
Chairman of BWSSB, Ram Prasath Manohar, highlighted the partnership with IISc and underlined the plan's potential to address the pressing water crisis in Bengaluru.
The initiative mirrors a similar effort by the Irrigation Department in Devanahalli, home to the Kempegowda International Airport, where water from the Kote lake is treated and supplied to the area.
Initial lake refilling will occur in Bellandur, Varthur, Nayandahalli, Herohalli, Attur, and Jakkur, according to officials.
Despite Bengaluru's requirement of 2,100 MLD of potable water, with 1,450 MLD sourced from the Cauvery river, officials assure that reservoirs hold sufficient water reserves until July.
Addressing the remaining water demand, primarily sourced from borewells, officials acknowledged a deficit of 250 MLD due to factors such as depleted underground water levels and insufficient rainfall.
Meanwhile, BWSSB has extended the registration deadlines for water tanker owners till March 15 aimed at encouraging more water suppliers. As of date, 1,530 tankers have registered, officials said.
In a bid to tackle the water mafia, the government has taken over private water tankers, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also in-charge of Bengaluru development, said.
"About 50 percent of the borewells in the city have dried up. We have decided to take control of thousands of private water tankers (by registering) to supply water from sources outside the city. We have left the pricing to officials as factors like distance travelled determines costs. Unused milk tankers will be used to ferry water," Shivakumar said.
Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has planned a protest in the city on Monday against the alleged mismanagement of the water crisis in Bengaluru.
Responding to the opposition move, Shivakumar said, "If they give any constructive suggestions, we are certainly open to considering them."
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