Drinking water crisis likely as KRS dwindles

Mandya: The storage in the Krishnaraja Sagar reservoir (KRS) has dropped to “below dead storage” level, pushing Bengaluru and other Cauvery dependent areas into a potential water crisis. On Tuesday morning, the water level in the reservoir was 69.55 ft, against the maximum level of 124.8 ft. The dead storage level of the reservoir near Srirangapatna is 74 ft. and officials of the Irrigation Department say that it is not advisable to pump water after the level decreases to 68 ft.

Once the water level decreases to 68 ft, pumping water from the reservoir will not only affect its safety, but also negatively impact the ecological system of the region, said an official at Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Ltd. (CNNL). They are also thinking of releasing water from Harangi of Kodagu district or Hemavati of Hassan district to reverse the situation. The KRS reservoir is the major source of drinking water for Mysuru and Bengaluru.