Reality of ‘drinking water’ tankers in Bengaluru – captured on video

Water tanker collects water stored in an abandoned land. Where will this water be supplied? Is it safe to drink such water, or to rely on water tankers for safe drinking water?

Look at this video. Rain water—rather more of a cesspool—greenish, smelly water—collected in an open abandoned granite mine, being filled in a “Drinking Water” tanker. The location is right next to RBD Stillwaters (next to Lakedew Lake/ Puravankara Skywoods), in Harlur near Parappana Agrahara Main Road and Kudlu Road, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Such tankers also deliver drinking water to many residential projects including apartments. They also deliver water for upcoming constructions in the nearby areas.

Banibrata Dutta, a concerned resident who lives in an apartment near Sarjapur Road, shot this video. He says: “Who knows, it could even be sold as drinking water! One can see a pile of garbage rotting right next to it… Sometimes some dead animals are also seen in this dump!”

Though the tanker is marked as ‘Drinking Water’ tank, it is possible that the blackish water is being sold to upcoming constructions. However, since nobody knows whether the tankers are cleaned after such use, Dutta says that same tanker used for this purpose and drinking water is not okay.

“Even if the water is not being supplied as drinking water but for construction purposes, the labourer families might be drinking this water,” he adds in his Facebook post. 

“Unscrupulous businesses will always exist… and they thrive because there is a disproportionate demand. Unless the demand side is fixed, there will always be such problems on the supply side. Judicious usage of water with lifestyle change is perhaps the answer,” he opines.

Related Articles

Cancer institutes under the lens: radioactive waste
One apartment wastes water, another pays
Bengaluru’s stark water shortage can get worse: new study
How much water is your ward in Bengaluru consuming each month?
Tanker water rates across Bengaluru, February 2015
Piped water supply contaminated, kids fall sick in apartment
Water tankers rule, no one to question
Water tankers: Making money when the sun shines and water flows!

Comments:

  1. Anand Balagopal says:

    This is just an example. Day in and day out – almost 24 hours water tankers ply in and out from Belegere road – the road that connects from Bellandur railway station to varthur police station.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Need footpaths more than flyovers: A call for a walkable Thane

People-first urban design can transform Thane streets into safe, inclusive spaces for the community.

Once a “city of lakes,” Thane’s population has roughly increased sevenfold since 1971. The city's estimated population has crossed 27 lakh, making it one of the most densely populated cities in the country. As its population surges, new construction rises at a feverish pace, and infrastructure projects are announced with clockwork regularity. By all outward appearances, Thane is a city on the move. But the question to ask is: Is it moving in a better direction? Sadly, it is not. I am a fourth-generation resident of this city. I grew up here and watched the city transform and lose something…

Similar Story

Pre-poll report card: Flood risks and incomplete stormwater drains in Chennai

From Vyasarpadi to Thalambur, neighbourhoods highlight design flaws and neglect of flood mitigation systems.

Every year, as the north-eastern monsoon approaches, residents in Chennai are on high alert, fearing a deluge. The memories of the 2015 floods, the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung in 2023 and annual flooding continue to haunt citizens even as they head to vote this April.  The Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 points out that the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) must provide and maintain a sufficient system of public drains throughout the city. Recently, the GCC claimed that 88% of stormwater drain (SWD) works have been finished and that ₹6,475 crore was spent over four years on this. This covers 1,235…