Bugudanahalli lake dries up, water crisis deepens

Tumakuru

The drying Bugudanahalli lake, the city's main water source, is creating a severe water crisis. Though there's talk of releasing water from Hemavathi’s Gorur reservoir, no action has been taken yet. With no alternative sources, if the lake dries completely, water supply may stop.

At present, the lake holds 90 MCFT of water, of which only 60 MCFT is usable. Officials are rationing supply to stretch it a few more days. Currently, 1.4 MCFT is supplied daily from the lake and 6 MCFT from 800 tube wells, totalling about 7 MCFT daily.

As temperatures rise, water sources shrink, and demand surges. “There’s not enough water even to store,” worried housewife Rama said.