Bengaluru may face imminent water crisis similar to Cape Town: Report

A recent report states Bengaluru to be one of the top cities in the world facing an imminent acute water crisis. According to a report by a CSE-assisted environment magazine, India's IT-city may face a grave water crisis similar to the one faced by Cape Town in South Africa.

"The number of waterbodies in Bengaluru has reduced by 79 per cent due to unplanned urbanisation and encroachment -- while the built-up area has increased from eight per cent in 1973 to 77 per cent now," claimed Down To Earth, the magazine that Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) helps publish.

CSE estimates Bengaluru's water table to have dropped from 10-12 m to 76-91 m in the past two decades while the number of extraction wells has gone up from 5,000 to 0.45 million in 30 years.

"Cape Town in South Africa is facing the prospect of all its taps running dry by June-July this year," the report claimed.

Bengaluru's population, which is estimated to be growing by 3.5 per cent annually, is likely to hit 20.3 million by 2031.

"Many of the world's leading cities will see Cape Town-like water crisis in the not too distant future... 10 cities across the world are facing 'Day Zero' (when taps are expected to run dry), and severe water shortage will hit them in the not-too-distant future unless cities innovate, diversify supply sources and use water judiciously," it said.

The report also listed out other cities that may face a similar water crisis; the list featured cities like Beijing (China), Mexico City (Mexico), Nairobi (Kenya), Karachi (Pakistan), Kabul (Afghanistan) and Istanbul (Turkey).