With the monsoon remaining weak and water levels low, Bengaluru is paying for it big time with a steep rise in price of water supplied by private tankers. Groundwater sources have not been recharged this year due to lack of rain and many borewells have dried up resulting in shortage of water. The city, which is facing a shortage of over 500 million litres of water every day, depends heavily on water extracted from borewells and supplied in tankers by private companies. Borewells start drying in summer, especially in the eastern and northern parts, and the city’s excessive dependence on them has only added to the crisis.
A tanker of water with 3,000 litre capacity is being sold at anything between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000, as against at Rs 300 at the start of the summer. Mrs Meenakshi B.R., a resident of Arekere, rued: “I ordered for a tanker of water at 6 am on Tuesday, but it was delivered only at 1 pm. And, they charged me Rs 600 for it. I used to pay Rs 350 for the same quantity of water in March”. Residents in the eastern parts of the city are the worst affected. Mr Sreedhar G., a resident of OMBR Layout, said: “After much pleading and persuasion, a private water supplier agreed to supply water. He quoted Rs 1,200. How much can you bargain? And, I was afraid he would sell the water to one of my neighbours who had queued up for water. I agreed to pay Rs 1,000.”