Save water or face water crisis: Half of the water is wasted in apartments

Bengaluru: There has been a serious allegation that half of the Cauvery water is leaking from the apartments in Bengaluru. If this is not curbed, in a few months even the city will see signs of shortage of drinking water.

Over 10 lakh apartments under Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are dependent on Cauvery water. An estimated 40 lakh people live in slums. Millions of techies have found accommodation in rented flats close to offices near major industrial areas like Whitefield, Mahadevpura, Electronic City, Sarjapur.

A huge amount of water is leaking here and there in the pipelines supplying Cauvery water from BWSSB. Water is also leaking from taps and vaults here. In most of the apartments, water comes from bore wells , but the residents here use Cauvery water for daily work. Due to all these reasons, half of the Cauvery water is being wasted in the plots. Even though these irregularities have come to the attention of BWSSB officials, they are quiet by saying that they will not take any action until they receive instructions from the government.

Many apartments in the city have dried up borewells, so they have opted for tanker water. Due to continuous extraction of water from borewells for water supply to apartments, the ground water level has further decreased and contaminated water is available. Tankers pumping water from borewells are supplying to apartments without testing the water. The use of this water causes many diseases including skin disease.

Although some apartments in Kengeri, Jayanagar, Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli parts have Cauvery water connection, water is available only one or two days a week. Tenants of some plots have left their homes due to water problems. However, water experts are of the opinion that it is unfortunate that Cauvery water is being wasted in daily activities such as gardens and house cleaning in apartments where Cauvery water comes daily.