Dharwad Water Crisis: 15 Villages Face Acute Shortage as Heat Dries Up Lakes

Dharwad faces a severe water crisis as 15 villages run dry due to extreme summer heat. Lakes and borewells are depleting fast, and officials warn up to 90 villages could soon face acute shortages.

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Hubballi: The summer heat is really starting to bite in Dharwad, and the first casualty is drinking water. As of now, 15 villages in the district are facing a serious shortage. Officials are worried that if this dry spell continues, this number could easily triple or even quadruple. As a backup plan, they've already identified private borewells that can be used if the situation gets worse.

This year, the heat in Dharwad has been worse than it has been in the last 10 years. Back in 2016, temperatures hit 40-41 degrees Celsius, but most years it stayed around 37-38 degrees. This year, it's already crossed 39 degrees. Because of this intense heat, lakes, ponds, and streams are all drying up, leaving people and cattle desperate for water. Even birds and animals are struggling to find a drink, and plants planted along the roadsides are withering away. To make matters worse, groundwater levels are dropping, causing borewells to go dry and making the water problem even more severe.

How many lakes are in the district?

The district, including Hubballi-Dharwad city and its surrounding areas, has over 1,000 lakes. Out of these, about 150-200 are used for drinking water.

The district administration estimates that out of more than 370 villages, over 90 could face a water crisis. For the last 15 days, the problem has become critical in 15 villages, and the administration is finding it tough to manage the supply.

Which villages are affected?

The affected villages include Hosatti, Mandihal, Begur, Mugad, and Managundi in Dharwad taluk; Adargunchi, Kurdikeri, Nulvi, and Chhabbi in Hubballi taluk; and Nelaharavi, B. Hoolikatti, Dyamankonda, Mukkala, Hirehunasikatti, and Koodlagi in Kalghatgi taluk. In total, 15 villages are facing a severe drinking water problem.

Earlier, water from the lakes was purified and supplied to homes. But now that the lakes are dry, the local administration is paying ₹12,000 a year to rent private borewells. Even after purifying and supplying this water, it's just not enough to quench everyone's thirst. With 90 more villages likely to face a shortage, officials have identified 180 private borewells as a precaution. The Zilla Panchayat has confirmed that these will be rented if the need arises.

Basically, the rising temperatures have triggered a major water crisis in the district, giving officials sleepless nights. They are now just hoping for some rain to fill up the lakes and ease the situation.

Jagadish Patil, the Executive Engineer of Dharwad Zilla Panchayat, said, "We have identified 90 villages that might face a drinking water problem. Right now, 15 villages are facing a shortage. We are supplying water by renting 17 borewells here."