Water and Sanitation in Devanahalli: Water Supply

 

Part 1: Water supply

Devanahalli is a small town of Bengaluru Rural District of Karnataka.  Devanahalli is located at a distance of 40kms from Bengaluru. The town is a Town Municipal Council having the population of 28,051 as per 2011 census (currently 35,000 according to TMC). The town is divided into 23 wards. 

Devanahalli is popular for Kempegowda International Airport which geared the town growth. Migration to the closest Bengaluru in search of better employment opportunities is a common phenomenon. Yet Devanahalli is mainly agriculture driven. The town falls into semi-arid to arid climatic zone and also considered to be drought prone. Flowers, vegetables, spinach and grapes are the major crops grown. Long term horticulture crops are not popular in the town. The produce is sold at the nearest Bengaluru markets. Farmers complain of not getting wage laborers since daily earners are working in commercial units, Airport or moving towards Bengaluru city.

 

Water supply: 

There is no perennial source of water supply in Devanahalli and groundwater is the only source of water supply to the town. Town Municipal Council (TMC) supplies 1,200,000liters of water a day at 55-65LPCD. TMC supplies both sweet and saline water to households. Sweet water is supplied once in 8 days and saline water once in 2 days. TMC is not supplying water for commercial units in the town. TMC is supplying water for government schools in the town and not private schools. TMC is not supplying water to ward number 22 and 2 since every household has a borewell.

Water tankers: TMC owns 2 water tankers and there are 5 private water tankers. Private water tankers are required to take the permission from TMC before operating. 

Borewells: TMC has drilled 112 borewells out of which 32 are not yielding. Devanahalli is dominated by saline water. Borewells around Sihineerkere lake (Sweet water lake) are the major source of water for the town. TMC has 8-10 borewells in the radius of 500m from the lake to meet the drinking water needs of the town. TMC has drilled 18 borewells in 2019, 8 borewells in 2020 and planning to drill 9 borewells in 2021.

RO Plants: RO plants are used to treat drinking water. There are 13 decentralized RO plants. One RO plant is provided for every 3 wards.

Water tariffs: Devanahalli TMC charges water tariffs to the households. Per month a nominal amount of Rs.120 is charged. Rs.4,800 is the deposit need to be made in order to take the water supply connection. 50% of the population is served for free without levying the water tariff. 

- Rakshitha M L