MC Interview: Bengaluru water board chief assures there’s enough drinking water to last till monsoon; says misinformation campaign is on to defame city

Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) chairman’s office phone is ringing off the hook. IPS-turned-IAS officer Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar

India's tech hub is grappling with one of its worst water crises and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) Chairman’s office phone is ringing off the hook.

The Chairman, IPS-turned-IAS officer, Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar, is facing challenging times. A weak South-West monsoon and reduced water levels in the Cauvery basin reservoir has left Bengaluru staring at a severe scarcity.

Manohar briefly served as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Noida over a decade ago and as Deputy Commissioner of Bellari, working towards enhancing education in the district. He also holds the position of Director at the Karnataka Tourism Department and coordinated the recent G20 Sherpa meeting in Hampi.

The 2010 IAS batch young officer Manohar assumed charge as BWSSB Chairman in December 2023. Moneycontrol sat down for a chat with Manohar for a low-down on the situation and possible solutions. Excerpts:

What is the current water situation in Bengaluru?

Bengaluru has a population of 1.4 crore, and we need to provide 150 litres per person, per day, amounting to around 2,100 million litres per day (MLD). Additionally, we require 500 MLD of water for commercial and industrial purposes, which brings the total city’s requirement to 2,600 MLD.

For domestic purposes, Cauvery water is pumped from the Shiva balancing reservoir at Malavalli. Cauvery is about 100 km from Bengaluru and 1,450 MLD of water pumped up to a height of 1,000 feet. The cost of water comes to Rs 41 per 1000 litres for operation and maintenance (O&M) costs alone, but we are subsidising the Cauvery water for public distribution.

Out of the 2,100 MLD required for drinking water in Bengaluru, 1,450 MLD is sourced from Cauvery, and the remaining 650 MLD comes from groundwater.

Over the years, Bengaluru has witnessed urbanisation and concretisation. Niti Aayog has classified Bengaluru as a highly water-stressed city due to its dependence on water from remote areas and reliance on groundwater. Due to a significant decrease in rainfall compared to previous years, groundwater has not been adequately recharged. The water levels in reservoirs across southern states are well below normal.

Also, read: First floods, now dry days: Decoding tech hub Bengaluru’s water woes

How severe is the crisis right now?

The current crisis is primarily because of a shortage of water in the underground water table. We’ve increased the Cauvery water supply from 1,450 MLD to 1,470 MLD since last month through improved operational efficiency.

The major challenge is the depletion of water levels in borewells. There are two types of borewells: public ones managed by BBMP/BWSSB and private. The city has a total of 14,000 public borewells, with 11,000 that fall under the custody of BWSSB and another 3,000 under BBMP. Around 30 to 40 percent of these public borewells are currently dry. For instance, 4,900 out of the 11,000 BWSSB-controlled borewells and an additional 1,200 of the 3,000 BBMP borewells are dry.

Private household borewells are also drying up. Around 4.5 lakh borewells were drilled by individual households and commercial entities in the city over the years, contributing to the system, but are now facing depletion. The drying up of public and private borewells has severely impacted the supply of 650 MLD from groundwater sources.

We have identified 257 clusters across the city as water-stressed areas because these locations are facing reduced water availability. We are now supplying water to these areas through 210 tankers.

Also, read: Water crisis: Bengaluru civic agency opens war room; milk tankers to be used for water supply

We’ve floated tenders to purchase 18 new tankers and collaborated with the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to utilise unused milk tankers for water transportation. We've also modified 94 mini trucks by installing tanks on them and are providing water to the affected areas.

Do you think the water crisis has affected the image of Brand Bengaluru?

It seems there are people with vested interests who are attempting to tarnish the image of Bengaluru and reduce foreign investment in the city. Rumours and misinformation are being spread by these groups within the community, but I appeal to people not to panic. While it is true that there is a shortage of borewell water, the government has all the resources to effectively address the situation.

I can assure every citizen that there is no shortage of drinking water or water for domestic consumption. The scarcity primarily arises from borewells drying up, affecting non-essential purposes like washing of vehicles.

Also, read: Brand Bengaluru: 70,000 suggestions from citizens; ball in Karnataka govt's court

Bengaluru has expanded beyond its original infrastructure capacity, resulting in an infrastructure deficit. This deficit cannot be resolved overnight, as the city's growth has far outpaced initial planning. We are committed to overcoming this water shortage through innovative methodologies and proactive initiatives to ensure adequate water supply. Additionally, plans are underway to implement the Cauvery-VI Stage, which will supply another 500 MLD.

Many gated communities have announced water rationing…

In the city’s outskirts, such as Varthur, Sarjapur, RR Nagar, and the northern parts of Bengaluru, which are part of the 110 villages added to BBMP in 2008, there are a good number of high-rise buildings and vertical residential colonies. These areas heavily relied on borewell water and tanker supply. Some residents were provided with Cauvery water connections solely for drinking purposes, and due to borewell failures, they too are facing water stress.

Cauvery water can be ensured at every doorstep for drinking purposes, with an allocation of three to five litres per person. For other household purposes, such as cleaning and toiletry, we recommend them using STP-treated water. Some apartments are already using treated water for flushing and gardening.

Also, read: Bengaluru gated communities face water crisis after govt takes over private water tankers

We offer tertiary treated water or borewell water at a price, and residents can pay and collect the water on their premises. For the poor and urban lower and middle-income groups, we provide water in public vicinities, but we do not reach their doorstep. In these cases, residents come and collect the water, and we provide it to them free of cost. When we provide water individually to people’s doorsteps, there will be a cost involved, and gated community residents are also willing to pay.

But private tanker prices have increased…

The government has fixed a tariff for private water tankers. We plan to complete the registration of private tankers by March 15. All private tankers will operate under the regulatory framework of BBMP and BWSSB. Each registered tanker will receive a unique ID, which will also be affixed to the vehicle for identification purposes.

Also, read: Bengaluru water crisis: Karnataka caps tariffs for private water tankers

They must prominently display a sticker on the windshield and around the tanker, indicating that it is a BBMP-BWSSB registered tanker with a unique ID and government-fixed rates. Anyone charged more than the government-fixed fare should be reported to the toll-free number 1916.  So far, 1,560 private tankers have been registered, which is around 80-90 percent of the total. From March 16 onwards, we will take action, including penalties, against unregistered private tankers.

Are you keeping a tab on private borewells?

We will soon conduct a borewell survey across the city to understand how private borewells have been affected. Considering the current drought situation, we have issued an order stating that, from March 15 onwards, anyone drilling for any purpose, whether domestic, commercial, or industrial, must seek permission from BWSSB.

Also, read: Bengaluru water board to take over borewells at construction sites; says will instead provide treated water

For older borewells, as they have been drilled over the years, it's challenging to track their status. Our suggestion and appeal to the public is that they should communicate when their borewell is failing/drying up. This information helps us identify areas facing more borewell failures, allowing us to rationalise water supply.

For example, if someone's borewell fails, and they don't repair it or seek assistance, they may draw more water from the Cauvery supply. This excess drawing from Cauvery water due to household borewell failures can lead to distribution issues for others.

Also, read: Water crisis: Prior permission must for drilling borewells in B'luru from March 15, says civic body

How are you tackling the water crisis in the peripheral areas of the city?

Cauvery Stage-V project which will provide drinking water in peripheral areas will be commissioned by May 2024, with trials set to begin on April 15. Water supply to these areas is expected to commence by May 15.  About 95 percent of the work for commissioning has been completed, with only a remaining 2.3 km line pending. With the implementation of the Cauvery Stage V- project, an additional 750 MLD will be allocated, which will solve the drinking water issues in 110 villages in the peripheral areas of the city.

At present, these areas are primarily relying on BBMP and individual household borewells as well as water tankers. So far, we have provided 40,000 connections to these 110 villages. A total of 3-3.5 lakh connections including high-rise buildings, will be given soon.

There is a demand for work-from-home arrangements and also for online classes...

It is a policy decision to be made by the government and the respective companies but we assure every citizen of Bengaluru that BWSSB is fully committed to ensuring the provision of drinking water. We are confident in our ability to handle this situation effectively through collaboration with our initiatives and public cooperation. We believe that this challenge can be successfully managed until the monsoon arrives. Even in villages, the need for water is paramount, especially during drought situations but people should be mindful of their water usage.

Also, read: Bengaluru water crisis: Residents push for work from home, online classes until monsoon

Will this crisis deepen?

We require around 1.56 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) per month for drinking water from Cauvery.  The minimum requirement is only 8 TMCs for the next four months.  We have access to about 34 TMC of water from Cauvery. We have sufficient drinking water to last until the coming monsoon. However, there may be a shortage for non-essential usage and we are now providing treated water to augment the supply.

Also, read: Amid crisis, Bengaluru bans potable water usage for car washing, gardening; imposes Rs 5,000 fine

Are there plans to fill lakes with recycled water to increase the groundwater table?

Yes, we have already begun the process of releasing purified wastewater into lakes such as Jakkur, Attur, Nayanadahalli, Kengeri, and others. Some of these projects are nearing completion or have already been completed. We are in talks with the government on the possibility of filling Varthur and Bellandur lakes, following permission from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). We are also consulting with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

Also, read: Water crisis: Karnataka has no not seen such a severe drought in 3-4 decades: Deputy CM

How are you treating wastewater?

We currently have a sewage treatment capacity of 1,300 MLD, and we are in the process of constructing an additional 600 MLD capacity across 26 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). Additionally, there are thousands of STPs installed by individual households and apartment communities. After treatment, water in apartment complexes is reused for gardening or flushing. However, some apartments are not utilising treated water, and instead, they are releasing it into stormwater drainage systems, which is causing problems.

Are you planning on rolling out any water conservation campaigns?

We encourage citizens to use innovative methodologies for flushing toilets and using washing machines. For instance, washing a few clothes at a time and accumulating laundry for larger loads require nearly the same amount of water. Instead of using 20-25 litres of water for flushing, there are methods available to minimise this amount. We are also launching a campaign to educate people on water-saving techniques without compromising their daily activities. By adopting these methods, people can reduce their water requirements by 30 to 40 percent. Treated water can be used for home cleaning, gardening, and vehicle washes.  Responsible water usage is a civic duty, and people must use available drinking water judiciously.

Also, read: Bengaluru water crisis: After gated communities, industrial areas bear the brunt