In order to reduce exploitation
of depleting groundwater, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
is studying the feasibility of selling Cauvery water to private tanker
suppliers who service most parts of the city, especially the newly-added areas.
The apartment blocks, which are being serviced by private water suppliers from borewells may be benefited by this scheme, if everything goes well.
The BWSSB, following a suggestion
from the Mines and Geology Department — was considering the pros and cons of
selling Cauvery water from its filling stations to private suppliers at a fixed
price. This will ensure that the water supplied to new areas was safe and free
from contamination, the official said.
The BWSSB, which draws
1,350 million litres of water a day (mld) from all stages of Cauvery Water
Supply Scheme, has been catering to the needs of residents in core areas.
However, residents of newly-added areas (the erstwhile seven city municipal
councils, one town municipal council and 110 villages that were added to the
city limits) continue to depend on borewell water. This is because of lack of
infrastructure (pipelines) and reluctance of a majority of residents to obtain
metered connections.
Private tankers largely
use water from borewells where there is no check on quality, endangering the
health of users. It is also a major source for groundwater depletion. In many
areas, especially those in east Bangalore and the new wards, groundwater is not
available even at a depth of 1,000 ft.
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