Brace yourself: Bengaluru to get Cauvery water only till June 10!

With water levels in Cauvery reservoirs - the lifeline of Bengaluru - fast depleting, Bengalureans would be able to receive water for just another month! By June 10, water levels in the three major Cauvery reservoirs - Kabini, Krishna Raja Sagar and Hemavathi - is feared to go down even further. And, if the rains fail to come by May end or June first week, Bengaluru taps may go dry. As on Monday, water levels at these reservoirs was recorded at 3.50 tmc, reports Kannada Prabha.

Fearing a severe scarcity, the Water Resources Department had begun to ration water from the first week of March for 100 days. It had expected to pull through till June 15. But now, with water levels going down at the reservoirs, the department fears that the city could be headed for a drought.

The department - factoring the availability of water in March - had expected that the city would require 5.3 tmc of water for 100 days and 3 tmc of water for rest of the areas (44 towns and 620 villages). But as on Monday, water level at KRS reservoir stood at 2.98 tmc and 1.35 tmc in Hemavathi reservoir. Presently, Cauvery water is provided to 44 towns, 620 villages besides the city in Bengaluru. Not just Bengaluru, the department had also rationed water to Mysuru city, Ramnagar, Mandya, Srirangapatna, Chamarajanagar, HD Kote and other areas for 100 days from March 4 to June 15.

But to meet the demands for another 35 days (until June 15), the department needs 3 tmc of water. With just 3.5 tmc of water available in the reservoirs and at least one of tmc of water is lost due to evaporation, it now seems next to impossible to provide water to the city areas beyond June 10. Unless the rain gods help, the city may experience the worst drought in recent years.  

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