TANKER SUPPLY CONTAMINATED - Parched city pays more for water

TANKER SUPPLY CONTAMINATED - Parched city pays more for water
SHILPA P.
DC | BENGALURU


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Shortage of waterhas led to a deluge of problems for localities in northeast and south Bengaluru. Several households that spend nearly Rs 500 each per day on water from private tankers often end up getting dead cockroaches and mosquito larvae in the water that they are buying.
“The tanker water is pumped out of lakes and wells and is untested for quality. Families in my locality have to buy water as since supply from BWSSB has virtually stopped,” a resident of RT Nagar said.

“If BWSSB is not supplying water, where do the tanker operators get water from? It isn’t surprising that the water they sell us smells bad and is often dirty.” Though BWSSB has 55 tankers, which it sends to localities like Jeevanbhimanagar, Indiranagar, RT Nagar and Hebbal, they are simply not enough to meet the shortage in supply and private water suppliers are making the most of the situation.

“I pay Rs 450 for 5,000 litres of water which lasts a maximum of four days,” said Saroja Ramanathan, a resident of Jeevanbhimanagar.

Dr Anand, a private medical practitioner in RT Nagar, said, “Cases of mild gastroenteritis, viral fever and diarrhoea — all water borne ailments — are common here.” Reports of contaminated water are coming in even from the tonier areas of the city.

“We have found dead cockroaches and mosquito larvae in the water we are supplied. Even after complaints to apartment committee head, we are still using tanker water and not getting corporation water,” said Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Sunrise Apartments in Madivala.

“The tanker water that we get is always brown and stinks. We can’t bathe with such dirty water but we are really helpless,” said Rosa Fernandes, who lives in Koramangala.

The tanker operators claim that they take water directly out of borewells for sale in areas where water supply has been affected.

“We have recently received complaints that the water we supply smells bad or is dirty. It is not our fault, since we pump water into the tankers directly from borewells,” said an employee of Sri Sai Water Supply and Service Station which supplies water to major restaurants and apartments around Koramangala.

Private water suppliers should be educated on how to check water quality. They should at least chlorinate the water they supply. Even people who buy water from them can use bleaching powder for chlorination. Checking for residual chlorine is easy and requires a small device called a chloroscope. Spreading such awareness is crucial for public health.

Vishwanath, advisor, Arghyam In summer there is a 3-5 per cent shortage in water supply due to power cuts.

We are unable to pump the required amount of water. Because it is summer, the actual demand for water goes up by 5 to 10 per cent.

Venkatraju, BWSSB chief executive engineer Around 98 per cent of the water we get is from borewells. We do not supply water from open wells or tanks and, as such, cannot be blamed if the water contains contaminants usually found in lakes. We are doing people a service by meeting their water requirements. We also do not charge people unreasonable rates.

Suresh, private tanker owner