Water woes continue in Bengaluru, residents cough up ₹25,000 per month on tankers: Report | Bengaluru

For over 18 months, residents of Kamadhenu Layout in Bengaluru’s Mahadevapura area have been battling a severe water shortage, relying heavily on expensive private water tankers to meet their daily needs. With no reliable water supply from the city’s water agency, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), families are forced to spend between ₹10,000 and ₹25,000 per month on water, leading to fierce competition for tanker deliveries, The Times of India reported.

A Bengaluru resident spoke to the publication and described the challenges his family faces due to the irregular supply. Homes with infants and/or the elderly also face various problems amidst uncertain and inconsistent water supply, having no choice but to depend on tankers.

Due to high demand and constrained resources, tankers are now charging between ₹1,500 and ₹4,000 for 5,000 litres, often make deliveries as late as 1 am, creating further difficulties, the report noted.

Larger families are hit even harder by these costs. Another resident revealed that his family spends up to ₹35,000 a month on water. Despite repeated complaints to the BWSSB, no immediate solution has been offered, the publication stated. Elderly residents, living on pensions and savings, are particularly affected, with a senior citizen expressing frustration at the financial burden, saying that the dependency on tankers is draining their savings.

A local tanker owner Venkateshwar acknowledged the struggle to meet the area’s high demand for water, though residents continue to complain about rising costs.

BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar cited the delay in Cauvery Stage 5’s activation as the cause of the shortage, as quoted in the report. He assured residents that water from the project would reach the area in a few weeks, and efforts were underway to address the tanker monopoly.