Dry spells: As groundwater levels deplete, Bengaluru south run thirsty

Bengaluru: As the summer approaches, villages across the state are grappling with drinking water shortages. Among the 344 villages across 58 taluks in Karnataka, Bengaluru South (Ramanagar) has emerged as the worst-hit district with 55 villages facing shortages, followed by Raichur (41), Uttara Kannada (27) and Tumakuru (26). Several districts in north Karnataka and Bengaluru rural belt are bearing the brunt, reflecting both climatic stress and rising demand.According to data from rural water supply & sanitation department, accessed by TOI, 210 villages are currently dependent on tanker supply, while 125 villages are relying on private borewells — underlining a growing shift towards groundwater-based coping mechanisms amid falling water tables. In total, 99 tankers and 282 borewells have been deployed across affected districts."Areas around Haliyal and Mundgod are the worst-affected areas because water levels are depleting and supply is constrained due to terrain challenges. We are working on multi-village schemes where we are hiring private borewells and deploying tankers. We have also instructed gram panchayats and officials to ensure adequate water supply across the district. In Kumta, the village is dependent on tankers as borewell water quality is poor," Dileesh Sasi, chief executive officer of Uttara Kannada, zilla panchayat, told TOI.However, 11 districts in the state have reported no drinking water issues so far due to better infrastructure and drought preparedness. In Yadgir, authorities have attempted infrastructure-based solutions to tide over summer shortages. "A 4-km pipeline has been built at a cost of Rs 65 lakh and this is sufficient for now. Rental borewells at Rs 11,000 per month are also helping us manage the situation," said Lavish Ordia, chief executive officer of Yadgir, zilla panchayat.Officials also highlighted funding constraints in addressing the crisis. Of Rs 60 crore allocated for emergency drinking water works in 2025–26, Rs 43.7 crore has been released. In total, against a requirement of Rs 132.2 crore, only Rs 91.5 crore has been released so far.State-level officials maintained that efforts are underway to ensure equitable supply. "We are working towards mitigating drinking water supply issues and ensuring that every household has access to sufficient and good quality drinking water," said Randeep D, director, rural water supply & sanitation department.IT/BT and rural development & panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge emphasised on administrative accountability, directing officials to respond promptly to complaints raised by public representatives and citizens. He called for the continuation of taluk-level helplines, as in previous years, to address water-related grievances.Additionally, he warned against delays in payments for hired tankers and private borewells, noting that such bottlenecks could disrupt supply. Inset:Worst-affected districtsDistrictTaluks AffectedGPs AffectedVillages (Tankers)Tankers UsedVillages (Pvt borewells)Borewells hiredTotal villages affectedRaichur236522364041Ramanagara (Bengaluru South)5322723243255Uttara Kannada22620163327Haveri52418003124Chikkaballapur62319112324Non affected districts - Belagavi, Mysuru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Bagalkot, Bengaluru Rural, Gadag, Koppal, Udupi, Vijayapura, YadgirGet real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.