CWMA Urges Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to Prioritise Drinking Water Amid Cauvery Rainfall Deficit
Water management authority has advised both states to conserve reservoir storage for drinking needs as below normal rainfall raises concerns over river inflows and the coming monsoon months.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority has asked Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to give top priority to drinking water as rainfall across the Cauvery basin remains below normal. The advisory comes amid growing concerns that reduced monsoon activity could affect reservoir levels and water availability in the coming months.
The decision was taken during an important meeting of the authority held in New Delhi on Wednesday. Senior officials from Karnataka, including representatives from the Water Resources Department, attended the meeting and later briefed Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy on the discussions.
Officials informed the authority that the upper Cauvery catchment has witnessed significantly lower rainfall over the past five weeks. Districts such as Kodagu, Hassan, Mysuru, Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, and Ramanagara have all received less rainfall than usual, resulting in a noticeable decline in water flowing into major reservoirs.
The authority noted that the situation could become more challenging as the India Meteorological Department has forecast below normal rainfall for the remaining monsoon period. If the forecast holds true, water inflows during July, August, and September are likely to remain lower than expected.
Keeping the evolving situation in mind, the CWMA advised all states within the Cauvery basin to use the available reservoir water mainly for drinking purposes. It recommended avoiding the use of stored water for irrigation wherever possible to ensure sufficient supplies for essential human needs.
According to the authority, the current water available in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu should be adequate to meet drinking water requirements if managed carefully. However, it cautioned that under a possible distress year scenario, irrigation demands may have to take a lower priority.
The CWMA also instructed both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to continue following the existing water sharing arrangement laid down in the final award of the Cauvery Tribunal. The authority made it clear that there would be no changes to the established sharing mechanism despite the current shortage.
Officials further reminded the states that the Cauvery is a seasonal river and that the tribunal has already prescribed guidelines for managing water distribution during years of inadequate rainfall. These distress year provisions are intended to help ensure equitable use of available resources during difficult conditions.
Data presented during the meeting showed that Karnataka released 2.5 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu in June. So far in July, around 0.54 TMC of water has flowed downstream. The authority also pointed out that it had warned basin states in April and May about the possibility of a weaker monsoon and had advised them to plan reservoir operations accordingly.
The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee is scheduled to meet again on July 28 to review the latest rainfall data, reservoir storage levels, and water inflows. Based on the updated assessment, the committee will decide whether any additional measures are required to manage water resources during the rest of the monsoon season.
With rainfall continuing to remain below expectations, water conservation is expected to remain a key focus for both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Authorities have stressed that careful planning and responsible reservoir management will be essential to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supplies if dry conditions persist.
