Summer heat pushes Belagavi towards drinking water crisis

Caption: Rakaskop reservoirBelagavi: With temperatures continuing to soar, Belagavi is staring at a growing drinking water crisis as water levels in Rakaskop and Hidkal reservoirs, the city's primary sources, have dropped sharply. Officials said rising evaporation losses due to intense heat have accelerated the depletion, raising concerns over supply sustainability.Belagavi, with a population of around seven lakh, requires about 130-135 million litres per day (MLD) of water, drawn mainly from the two reservoirs. However, the ongoing heatwave has led to a rapid decline in storage levels.Rakaskop reservoir, which has a capacity of 0.5 tmcft, currently holds less than 0.1 tmcft of water. Hidkal reservoir now has about 11.9 tmcft of water, compared to 15.3 tmcft available during the same period last year.Belagavi city has over 85,000 water connections spread across 58 wards, with L&T Company entrusted with water supply operations. Despite this, several areas are facing acute shortages, with water supplied once every four to eight days during the summer months.Last year, good rainfall had replenished reservoirs across the district, raising hopes of a problem-free summer. However, water shortages persist this year in many areas, including the city.Officials of the water board said about 40-45 MLD is being pumped daily from Rakaskop reservoir, while Hidkal contributes around 80-85 MLD. Despite this, daily water supply remains elusive in most residential areas, with intermittent supply continuing in the majority of wards.Ravikumar, manager at L&T, said water supply was being managed as per the summer action plan. He pointed out that Rakaskop reservoir's storage has fallen to critical levels due to prolonged heat. "As the dam is old, siltation has reduced its storage capacity. The available water in Rakaskop may last only for 30 to 40 days," he said.Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) corporators, who met L&T officials on Monday, directed that the drinking water issue be addressed on priority. Mayor Preeti Kamkar and deputy mayor Hanumant Kongali said the shortage was acute in several wards and called for urgent steps to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply during the peak summer period.