Bangalore is facing a severe water crisis. The situation is so bad that people in many localities have to wait for as long as 3-4 days to get the water running through their taps.

To Jayaratna's relief, a water tanker has finally come home. After 15 days of no water in the taps, on Sunday, she had called up a private water supply company but was told she would have to wait her turn.

"Last year, we used to supply water within four hours of a call. This year, the waiting period is 3-4 days. But we are not able to fulfill all the demands," said Babu, a private water tanker driver.
 
The private tanker companies source their water from borewells dug close to one another. And the price people pay for the water depends on how scarce the supply is in their locality.

For a tankerful, which is 6,000 litres, the cost can be anywhere between Rs 200-1,000, sometimes even higher.

"We have to give, even if they ask for Rs 1,000. We need water no? When corporation water doesn't come, what can we do, tell me? We have to get tanker water only," Jayaratna said.

Private water tankers make hay while the city's water crisis deepens. There is no regulation or account on how many such private companies exist or how much they charge. Between three streets alone, there are eight private water companies.

With bad water management and the water supply body, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), clearly not doing enough the people of Bangalore have nowhere to go but to spend a tidy sum on buying precious water.
 
"It's not even the peak of summer and already Bangalore's municipal water supply is down to a trickle," said P B Ramamurthy, Chairman, BWSSB.

In some areas people get water barely for one hour a day - a shortage expected to worsen by next month.