The per capita national standard for a city the size of Bangalore is 150 to 200 liters per day,[2] From the month of March 2012, water supply in Whitefield has been stopped, with even rich neighborhoods left to fend for themselves.

The majority of the water for Bangalore is imported by the BWSSB from the Cauvery River, over 100 kilometers (62 mi) south of the city.

To meet the increasing demand, the "Cauvery Water Supply Scheme" was undertaken by the BWSSB, with Stages I - III completed.

[2] Stage IV is currently being built, with Phase I completed and bringing an additional 270 million liters to the city.

[2][4] Construction of Stage IV: Phase II is expected to bring an additional 510 million liters, and will be completed by 2010.

[2] In June 2007, T G Halli, from which BWSSB pumped 35 million liters per day into the western parts of the city, had effectively gone dry due to lack of rainfall over its watershed.

Rapid urbanization in and around Bangalore has destroyed many wetlands areas (of the 51 lakes in the city in 1973, only 17 remain in 2007[11]), which has also contributed to the decrease in the water table.