The quantum of water supply depends on the locality

The quantum of water supply depends on the locality

The Hindu

Bangalore's topography makes it hard for BWSSB to provide equitable supply

# BDA has classified the city and its surrounding areas into water zones
# Southern and eastern parts of Bangalore receive the maximum amount

BANGALORE: If you do not want to go crazy over water problems, you do well to choose the locality to live in.

The Bangalore Development Authority has classified the city and its surrounding areas into water zones.

"The classification is based on the availability of water. So while Zone One, comprising areas in and around Mysore Road, has the easiest access to water, Zone Six (areas close to Devanahalli) has the least," BDA Commissioner M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda told The Hindu on Monday.

The classification has been made in the Master Plan 2015.

According to this, the BDA will extensively promote development of residential areas in Zone Two (Kanakapura) and progressively reduce emphasis on such development in Zones Three, Four and Five enveloping Hosur Road, Magadi Road and Tumkur Road, depending on the access and availability of water.

Unequal supply

The BDA's classification comes as a stark reminder that Bangalore's water supply is unequal and location-specific. While summer heralds water-rationing in the entire city, at other times Bangalore's undulating topography has made it difficult for the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to provide equitable supply to all its citizens.

According to official figures, the southern and eastern parts of Bangalore receive the maximum amount: 130 million litres per day (MLD). East receives 110 MLD while north and south East receive 100 MLD each. Bangalore Central receives the least: 80 MLD.

What do these figures mean?

"We supply less in the central areas (Gandhinagar and Vidhana Soudha) because there are mostly offices and commercial complexes which do not use much water," a BWSSB official said.

The western and northern parts of Bangalore include Rajajinagar, Gayathrinagar, Subramanyanagar, R.T. Nagar and Sanjaynagar and regularity of water supply in these areas depend on the levels in Thippagondanahalli reservoir.

Currently, these areas are facing water shortage as pumping from T.G. Halli reservoir is likely to be stopped because of low water level. Arrangements are being made to supply Cauvery water to these areas and the transition can affect supplies somewhat.

But it is the southern parts of Bangalore that are relatively unaffected by water woes. Sources at the BWSSB explain: "These parts of Bangalore get more water as that is the entry point for Cauvery water into the city."

In that case, why is it that southern areas such as Jayanagar too face water problems sometimes? Officials say that once water reaches the ground level reservoirs in the city, the distribution to each household depends on gravity. "So if you live near the reservoir or somewhere downstream, then there is easier access to water."

There is also the pressure with which the water is released from the reservoirs that impacts distribution. "We are constantly trying to increase our water pressure by putting in booster pumps," an official said.