Industrial borewells rise 10%, dig up groundwater concerns in Karnataka

Bengaluru: In split-screen data on groundwater table, Karnataka has registered a slight improvement in groundwater recharge in 2025. At the same time, it has seen a worrying rise in industrial borewells and groundwater extraction.Industrial borewells are high-intensity, heavy-duty wells to pump out large volumes of groundwater to meet requirements of factories, commercial enterprises or industrial units.Karnataka added 3,234 industrial borewells in just one year, marking a 10.3% increase year on year, according to Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment 2025. Officials said the actual number could be higher as many illegal or unregistered borewells remain outside official records.Authorities said inspections had revealed a sharp increase in both legal and illegal borewells. However, officials added there is still no single agency monitoring groundwater extraction across Karnataka's industrial areas.Industries now extract nearly 0.2 billion cubic metres of groundwater annually through 37,298 abstraction structures. Industrial groundwater extraction increased from 18,751 ham (hectares metres) in 2024 to 20,682 ham in 2025. The report noted a steady shift from dug wells to borewells since 2000, particularly for industrial and irrigation purposes.Bengaluru Urban district alone accounts for 29,502 industrial wells, the highest in Karnataka. The rise comes even as industries continue to depend heavily on water tankers and groundwater due to the lack of reliable supply infrastructure.An owner of an electric transformer tank manufacturing unit in Dabaspet, near Tumakuru, told TOI: "Our source is either water tankers or borewells. They are not giving us permission for digging borewells despite requests. Since our area comes under a special investment zone, it is still under KIADB.""We've paid Rs 8.3 lakh per acre for water, but till now they haven't given even a single drop to us. There are at least 300 units here, with a majority being MSMEs. Every week, on average, at least 4-5 tankers are required for workers. We have submitted multiple letters and requests, but to no avail," he added.An aircraft components manufacturer in Bommasandra said rising tanker prices had pushed industries towards borewells. "The situation has been bad for nearly a decade and nobody is bothered. We depend on borewells because the department has never provided us with water supply infrastructure and we can't keep depending on tankers as the prices are too high.""With no other way I have applied for a borewell by paying money again to the officials and dug up a few years back, which I don't know how long it's going to last. I am planning to close the industry and shift to Tamil Nadu as we have nothing here from road to water," he said.Industry bodies said the problem was worse in industrial clusters outside Bengaluru city limits. Uma Reddy, president, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said: "Many industries in Doddaballapur, Dabaspet and Harohalli are dependent only on borewells as they lack support from KIADB, which is responsible for providing water facilities."In Peenya, industries have increasingly shifted towards BWSSB connections. In Jan, BWSSB floated a Rs 20-crore project to supply 4 MLD of treated water from Nagasandra STP to Peenya Industrial Area through a dedicated 27-km pipeline.Officials admitted enforcement remains weak due to manpower shortages and fragmented jurisdiction. Groundwater monitoring, permissions and enforcement are handled by different departments, while industrial areas outside city limits often fall under gram panchayats.-----BOXIndustrial Groundwater Use In Karnataka■ Total industrial groundwater structures in 2025: 37,298■ Borewells: 37,137■ Dug-up wells: 161■ Annual groundwater withdrawal by industries: 0.2 BCM■ Industrial groundwater extraction in 2025: 20,682 ham■ Increase in extraction: 10.3%■ Bengaluru Urban industrial wells: 29,502■ Industries in Bengaluru: 6.3 lakhSource: Karnataka govt