Tue Mar 25 15:40:19 UTC 2025: ## Bengaluru Water Tanker Prices Soar Amidst Cauvery Supply Gaps

**Bengaluru, March 25, 2025** – As summer intensifies in Bengaluru, the cost of water tankers has skyrocketed, leaving residents grappling with a severe water shortage. The price of a 12,000-litre load, capped at ₹1,200 last year, has already jumped to ₹1,500-₹1,700, and is expected to rise further.

The increase is attributed to several factors, including the dwindling groundwater levels on the city’s outskirts, where tankers source water. Tanker owners report travelling as far as 30 km to find usable borewells, which are yielding significantly less water than before. Increased extraction costs and reduced output contribute to the price hike.

While the Cauvery V Stage water supply project aims to alleviate the problem, its coverage remains sparse in outer zones. Many residents, even those with Cauvery connections, remain reliant on private tankers due to concerns about supply reliability. Others, like residents in Varthur, haven’t received connections due to land acquisition delays, forcing them to rely entirely on expensive private tankers.

A January 2025 study by the BWSSB and IISc predicted a significant drop in groundwater levels, a warning that has unfortunately come to pass. The BWSSB chairman acknowledges the insufficient uptake of Cauvery connections despite their warnings. Instead of price controls, the BWSSB is focusing on increasing water supply to manage the situation this summer. The current reliance on private tankers, with their inflated prices, highlights the urgency of expanding the Cauvery network and improving groundwater management in Bengaluru.

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