5 Things Contributing To Karnataka's Worst Water Crisis

Bengaluru: The city, home to 13 million people and a global IT hub, is grappling with acute water crisis, stoking internatinal headlines for the past few weeks. More than half of the city is now dependent on additional supplies to meet daily water requirements- consumption, washing and landscape management. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Bengaluru was facing a shortage of 500 million litres of water every day, which is about fifth of the city's total water demand. He assured that addition supply arrangements are being made by the government. 

Howver, the water crisis situation is not limited to Bengaluru as neighbouring states are also facing similar situation. Rainfall at lower-than-normal rate during the monsoon in the last one year and the composition of underground aquifiers in the region has much to do with the prevailing crisis.

Bengaluru is based on a fractured hard rock aquifer and the recharge rates are meagre, nearly 10 per cent of the rainfall. An aquifer is a body of rock and/or sediment that holds groundwater.    

Karnataka's Worst Water Crisis: 5 Reasons

1. During 2023 monsoon, Karnataka received rainfall that was 18 per cent below normal, the least since 2015. Even the state had to remain dry in the post-monsoon period. Normally, the state, like other parts of India, receives bulk of its annual rainfall during the monsoon, filling up the reservoirs and recharging the acquifiers. 
2. The major water reservoirs of Kabini and Krishnaraj Sagar that feed Bengaluru has reported 20 per cent shortage in their capacity. These water reservoirs are highly dependent on rain water for efficient loading. In such situation, amid rainwater scarce, the state is just left with drinking water for one season only. 
3. IT Hub Bengaluru has been converted into a concrete jungle, that too on the cost of natural water bodies. Most of the ccity residents are living on the lakes and looking around for natural beauty the city.
4. With natural bodies being subject to encroachment, the only source left is ground water. While half of the ground water needs are fulfilled through rain, the remaining portion is dependent on Cauvery River, a reservoir 90 km away, which costs Rs 3 crore daily for pumping. 
5. Bengaluru's varying temperature recorded in the past decades have contributed in the natural warming of the city and whole of Karnataka. It has significantly triggered higher water bodies and soil evaporation rates.