World Water Day 2018: Besides Bengaluru, 200 cities may run out of water in India
New Delhi : It’s ‘World Water Day’ today! While the day is mainly focused on the importance of freshwater following its preservation, a latest study reveals that Bengaluru in India may soon run out of water. The research also mentioned that 200 cities in the world are running out of water at faster pace.
A study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) came up with the shocking news that Bengaluru, the popular IT-hub of India may soon face the scarcity of water just like Cape Town in South Africa. The statement was released a day before the ‘World Water Day’ which is observed on March 22 every year.
The internationally observed day intends to inspire people to learn about water-related issues and to take necessary action for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
It has been reported that lives in Cape Town are facing a severe water crisis and CSE officials feel that Bengaluru may soon face the same problem in the days to come.
As per the statement quoted in the study by CSE's "Down To Earth" magazine, "Bengaluru is one of the 10 metropolitan cities in the world that are quickly moving towards 'Day Zero' (when the cities will completely run out of water),"
Besides Bengaluru, nine other cities may face a serious water shortage very soon. The list includes Beijing (China), Mexico City (Mexico), Sanaa (Yemen), Nairobi (Kenya), Istanbul (Turkey), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Karachi ( Pakistan), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Kabul (Afghanistan). The study also found that 200 cities in the world are fast running out of water.
The study also stated that, currently, there is a 79% reduction of number of water bodies in Bengaluru due to unplanned urbanization and advancement. Also, the built-up area has gone up from 8% in 1973 to 77%, at present.
The study says, the city's water table went down from 10-12 meters to 76-91 meters in 20 years, while the extraction wells have gone up from 5,000 to 4.5 lakhs in 30 years due to increasing population. The more than 10 million population of the city is expected to reach 20.3 million by 2031, growing 3.5 percent annually.
"Bengaluru uses only half of its treatment capacity to treat waste and a substantial amount (of waste) is dumped into its waterbodies," it mentioned.
Cape Town, the South Africa’s richest city, has been facing an extreme water shortage problem since 2017. Below average rainfall in the city since 2015 that has dried out the city's water reservoirs.
Experts guess Cape Town will reach "Day Zero" within a few months, when the city's taps will go dry, forcing citizens to collect water rations from trucks for daily use.
Bengaluru has been facing water shortage in several of its suburbs with harshly polluted lakes.
Reports confirmed that Bellandur Lake, the largest in the city's southeast suburb is polluted with toxic substances flowing into it through an untreated sewage system from chemical factories and housing colonies all around. It is believed that within a few months, maximum population in the city will have to collect water rations from trucks for daily use, which will affect people at financial ground as well.
Furthermore, the study added that almost 36 percent of cities in the world will face water crisis by 2050, with urban water demand expected to go up by 80 percent.
