The Hindu              22.05.2013

Water crisis continues, city falls short of 350 mld

Officials wait for reservoir level to rise to resume supply.

Although the inflow of water from Krishna Raja Sagar
(KRS) dam and the Hemavathi river to Shiva Balancing Reservoir (SBR) —
from where water is drawn to the city — has improved considerably, the
water crisis continued to stress Bangaloreans on Monday.

The
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which was so far
drawing 1150 million litres of water per day (mld) through all the four
stages of the Cauvery, is now drawing only 800 mld taking the shortage
to 350 mld.

Following Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s
directions, Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd. released nearly 1,200 cusecs
from the KRS in the last two days and the Water Resources Department, a
total of 5,300 cusecs from the Hemavathi in the last three days.

However,
not all this water has reached the Shiva Balancing Reservoir because of
lack of pressure, encroachments and uneven surfaces
en route
.

BWSSB officials said that the situation is likely to stabilise in another 48 hours once the KRS level is replenished.

The
BWSSB has now started rationing water to ensure equitable supply. While
pumps attached to the Cauvery 3{+r}{+d}and 4{+t}{+h}stages were shut
down on Saturday and Sunday respectively, officials said that 15 pumps
of the 1{+s}{+t}and 2{+n}{+d}stages were stopped on Monday.

“We
are doing this to ensure that all areas are not affected
simultaneously. Normal supply is likely to resume in the next two days
after the water level at Shiva Balancing Reservoir increases,” an
official said.

Private suppliers

Cashing
in on the unprecedented water crisis this year, private suppliers have
almost doubled their rates, especially in east Bangalore where water
shortage is a perennial problem.

Shot up

In
areas such as Malleswaram, the rate of a 4,000-litre tanker of water
(Rs. 400 till a few days ago) has shot up to Rs. 700 and in Sanjaynagar,
from Rs. 400 to Rs. 900, according to residents.