By: Nanthana Sureshkumar
Water crises have become more prevalent recently, especially given the heat waves in various continents such as Europe’s record-breaking heat wave in 2022. Everyone has heard of the water crisis in Cape Town, South Africa, and how exactly they managed to reach Day Zero on their water consumption. Still, there are less-known water crises, such as the one in Bengaluru (better known as Bangalore). Bengaluru is a populated city within the Indian state of Karnataka, with a population of 13 million as of 2023. For the past few months, Bengaluru has been facing a water crisis due to the lack of groundwater and the depletion of borewells. The city’s residents rely on RO plants and water trucks for their drinking water and daily water usage. It has gotten to the point where the workers of the tech companies housed in Bengaluru are working from home to preserve water.
Despite the efforts of the state government and the city municipality government, residents of the city are still faced with a lack of water and limited access to the existing water supply. There has been a lack of rainwater due to decreased rains, which normally replenish the groundwater reserves. Usually, the El Nino weather phenomenon causes rains that can fill up the groundwater used. Because of the weakened weather phenomenon, the monsoon season has not been as effective in increasing the water levels. Also, there has been a piped water supply project started on the Kaveri River that has not been completed, which contributes to the existing problems of the water supply. The water shortage in Bengaluru has even been compared to the one in Cape Town, because of how close the city is to reaching Day Zero on their water supply.
The need for water has only increased along with the population of Bengaluru, and climate change making drought cycles more apparent. The city and state governments have taken significant steps to limit the amount of drinking water being used for miscellaneous purposes, thereby reducing groundwater usage to what is necessary. For example, the government has banned the use of drinking water in swimming pools, which was made to limit water usage that is not for drinking, cleaning, or cooking. There is also significant enforcement of said measures, including a 5,000 rupee fine for those who disobey the ban. The state government has also banned the use of potable water for purposes other than drinking, which has since been implemented.
Given that there has been a weak monsoon season and droughts are becoming more frequent, the government has been taking initiatives to reduce the usage of water down to the necessary levels. Many cities within the region have been facing a water crisis, such as Chennai and Hyderabad. Water crises are common in the populated cities of India, but it is more prominent in Bengaluru since it is the hub for technology companies. Bengaluru is also one of the most populated cities in India, which contributes heavily to the lack of water. Overall, the water crisis in Bengaluru is not surprising at all, given the environmental factors and the overpopulation of the city. But, with the proper water management techniques and government enforcement, the city of Bengaluru can reduce its water consumption as well as increase the yield from groundwater usage.
Sources:
World Affairs Council of Charlotte 