As water crisis deepens, tanker demand surges in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Grappling with a sharp escalation in water scarcity across several neighbourhoods as borewells run dry, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has witnessed a steep rise in demand for its ‘Sanchari Cauvery' tanker service.The initiative, originally launched to curb the influence of private tanker operators, is now emerging as a critical lifeline for thousands of households. BWSSB officials said tanker demand has risen by 20-25% in recent weeks, reflecting the rapid depletion of groundwater reserves.Data from BWSSB shows that in just the last two months (till April 8), the board generated almost Rs 1.2 crore in revenue through tanker supply. In the first three months of 2026 alone, 15,731 tanker orders were fulfilled, yielding Rs 1.7 crore — significantly higher than the 11,681 orders and Rs 1.2 crore recorded during Oct-Dec 2025."According to the 2025 groundwater assessment, Bengaluru extracts nearly 308.4 million cubic metres (MCM) of groundwater annually and is now categorised among the cities facing excessive groundwater exploitation," said an official. "A study by the Indian Institute of Science has also flagged declining groundwater levels in at least 65 wards."Apartments and industries are among the worst affected. Of the total orders fulfilled this year, 5,819 were bulk requests from these sectors, contributing Rs 70.9 lakh in revenue — highlighting the extent to which even commercial establishments are struggling to access water."The number of users registering for BWSSB's tanker service has risen sharply. Since its launch in May 2025, 14,419 customers have signed up, with 3,810 registrations recorded between Jan and early April this year alone — more than double the registrations seen in the previous quarter," said the official. BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar acknowledged the growing pressure on the city's water infrastructure but said the board is scaling up efforts to ensure reliable supply. "Demand for tanker water has increased significantly because of the rapid depletion of groundwater in several parts of Bengaluru. We have already deployed over 220 tankers and expanded our filling infrastructure with more than 90 filling stations. Our focus is on ensuring equitable and reliable water supply across the city, even during peak summer," he said.He added that BWSSB is also strengthening its operational capacity by augmenting recharge measures and improving distribution efficiency to reduce dependence on tanker supply over the long term.Since the inception of the Sanchari Cauvery initiative, BWSSB has fulfilled 45,448 orders and generated Rs 4.7 crore in revenue — Rs 2.5 crore from online bookings and Rs 2.2 crore from bulk orders.
Get real-time updates and result insights on the UP Board Result 2026 and Assam HS Class 12th Result 2026.