DRY: A file photo of the Thippagondanahalli reservoir.

BANGALORE: Water woes could worsen in the city this summer. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) expects "a severe crisis" as early as March and is planning to augment supply by regenerating dysfunctional borewells in the vicinity of Hessarghatta Lake.

Sources in the board told The Hindu on Sunday that more than 50 borewells drilled in the 1980s in the vicinity of the lake had become dysfunctional following depletion of the groundwater table.

The board had stopped using the Hessarghatta reservoir some years ago, as it did not have a drinking water treatment plant there. The process of drawing raw water to the city and then treating it had proved too costly for the board.

"As there is some water stored in the Hessarghatta reservoir, we plan to regenerate the borewells on BWSSB land by installing new motors at a cost of Rs. 50 lakh. We hope to draw at least 5 million litres of water a day (MLD) through this alternative source to cater to the needs of Yelahanka and surrounding areas," a top BWSSB official said.

Citizens who have already started facing the problem of drinking water shortage are likely to face the crisis by April-end. Residents of several areas especially Vijaynagar, Chandra Layout, Magadi Road, Rajajinagar, Malleswaram, Yelahanka, Sanjaynagar and surrounding areas are already complaining about erratic water supply and low pressure. This is because the Thippagondanahalli reservoir, from where these areas are fed, has almost dried up.

"Although this reservoir has a capacity of 150 MLD, we were able to draw only 90 MLD till recently. Now we are forced to draw only 50 MLD because the water level has gone down further," the official said.

Hoping that monsoon will set in by May, the official said that the board might be forced to switch off one pumping motor of this reservoir after March and draw only 35 MLD.

The board, which is supplying on an average 100 litres of water for each person a day in the city now, may be forced to reduce this to 80 litres this summer. We have also requested Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) to ensure that there are no power cuts in summer to help us augment water from alternative sources," the official said.

"Bangalore consumes 1 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water a month. The BWSSB pumps 860 MLD to the city from Cauvery I, II, III stages and first phase of the fourth stage.

"Of this, 20 per cent is lost and another 17 per cent is considered non-revenue water," the official said.

"We have cut down on supply hours in most of the areas because we want to save water for summer.

"We are confident of managing till April-end and after that if there is no rain, the situation will be uncertain. With the Cauvery IV Stage Phase II likely to be commissioned by July, we hope to ensure that there will be no problem after that," the official added.

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