Water is Bengaluru's #1 buyer regret — the 2026 numbers and a 7-point checklist

Bengaluru's water demand is estimated at about 2,600 million litres a day (MLD). Cauvery supply from BWSSB is about 1,460 MLD at baseline; for summer 2026 the board held an extra 300 MLD in reserve for May, taking supply to around 1,760 MLD. The gap is filled by an estimated 3.5–4 lakh private borewells and tankers.

BWSSB's Cauvery network is estimated to cover about 60–65% of the city's built-up area. Fast-growing tech corridors — including Whitefield, Sarjapur Road and Electronic City — rely heavily on borewells and tankers, where water hardness (TDS) can range from 400 to over 1,500 ppm.

A standard 6,000-litre private tanker costs about ₹500–1,000 in normal months and ₹1,000–1,500 or more in peak summer. BWSSB's 'Sanchari Cauvery' service lets apartments order treated Cauvery water by tanker in bulk.

The 7-point water checklist

• Ask for the BWSSB connection sanction or recent water bills — not a 'Cauvery coming soon' promise.
• Ask the association what it spent on tankers last summer, per flat per month.
• Check borewell depth and how many are still working.
• Ask for a recent water TDS test report.
• Look for rainwater harvesting and STP-treated water reuse.
• Visit in April or May if you can, and talk to residents.
• Use our water tier (A/B/C) on every area page as a starting point.