Tanker Prices Soar In Bengaluru As Water Crisis Deepens Amid Summer Shortage

To counter the water crisis in Bengaluru, the BWSSB is set to launch a web-based app that will allow residents to book water tankers at fixed government rates

Despite these measures, residents remain skeptical about the immediate impact of government interventions. 

Source : PTI

Bengaluru is grappling with an intensifying water crisis as private tanker operators exploit the rising demand, hiking prices significantly across the city’s peripheral areas. With the long-awaited Cauvery Stage V project still failing to reach many outer zones, residents have been left with no option but to rely on water tankers, whose costs have nearly doubled compared to last year.

Bengaluru Water Crisis

A 12,000-litre water tanker that was capped at Rs 1,000–Rs 1,200 in 2024 by civic authorities is now being sold for Rs 1,500–Rs 1,700. In high-demand areas like Varthur, Hennur, Marathahalli, and Whitefield, prices have surged even higher, reaching Rs 2,200–Rs 2,500, as per a report on The Hindu. Smaller tankers have seen similar spikes, with a 6,000-litre load now costing Rs 750–Rs 800, up from Rs 450–Rs 500 last year. The situation is expected to worsen over the next two months, as summer peaks before the monsoon arrives to provide some relief.

Last year, the price of water tankers were capped at Rs 600 for 6,000 litres, Rs 700 for 8,000 litres, and Rs 1,000 for 12,000 litres

A recent study by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has raised alarm over declining groundwater levels, warning that some areas could see a drop of up to 25 metres by April, reported Times Now. This would put 80 wards and 110 villages at severe risk of acute water scarcity.

To counter the crisis, the BWSSB is set to launch a web-based app that will allow residents to book water tankers at fixed government rates. The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, is expected to roll out as a pilot project by the end of March, initially covering regions with highest reliance on private tankers. The app will feature real-time tracking to ensure transparency and curb black-market pricing, as per a report on Deccan Herald.

Despite these measures, residents remain skeptical about the immediate impact of government interventions.