Summer may trigger drinking water shortage in 66 villages in Chikkaballapur district

Chikkaballapur: With summer temperatures rising, authorities have warned that 66 villages in Chikkaballapur district may face severe drinking water shortage in the coming months.

Officials from the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department have already identified villages where the problem may become serious during the peak summer months of April and May.

At present, 17 villages in the district are facing drinking water shortage. The district administration is supplying water to these areas through private borewells and water tankers after convincing farmers to allow the use of their borewell water.

Officials said that as the summer heat increases in the coming days, the number of villages facing water shortage could rise significantly.

According to the department’s estimates, 66 villages may experience serious water problems by the end of May. Authorities have started planning precautionary measures to manage the situation.

Compared to previous years, the number of affected villages is lower. However, officials said that Chintamani and Sidlaghatta taluks are likely to face the most difficulties during the summer season.

Even though several borewells have been drilled, many of them are not yielding water. Authorities said that efforts under the Jal Jeevan Mission have also included drilling new borewells and implementing other measures, but the lack of water in many places remains a concern.

Ramakrishnappa, Assistant Executive Engineer of the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department, said there is no shortage of funds for drinking water projects in the district. However, the lack of water sources in some areas has made the situation difficult.

He said that drinking water is currently being supplied through tankers and private sources in the 17 villages facing shortage.

Rise in groundwater levels

Officials also said that groundwater levels in the district have improved compared to earlier years due to water supply projects such as the Hebbar–Nagavara Valley water scheme.

Earlier, around 150 to 200 villages used to face drinking water shortage during summer. Now the number has reduced, but certain areas still remain vulnerable.

Problems in Chintamani and Sidlaghatta

In Chintamani and Sidlaghatta towns and surrounding villages, which do not have large reservoirs or lakes, water supply has already become irregular.

In some wards, drinking water is currently supplied once a week. Officials said that if summer heat increases further, water supply may be reduced to once every 10 to 15 days.

Residents in several villages have approached gram panchayats seeking solutions to the problem. Despite drilling many borewells, water has not been found in several locations.

As summer continues, the water available in lakes and small ponds is also drying up due to high temperatures, increasing concerns about water availability for both people and livestock in the district.