The royal city was lucky to get Cauvery water in early 1900s, thanks to efforts of Mysore administrators and availability of electricity.
What the administrators could not achieve for decades was a success during the Maharani Vani Vilas regency. The Vani Vilas Water Works stands as a symbol of the efforts that went into drawing of water from Cauvery river, a project devised during the reign of Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar and completed when the queen was overseeing the administration.
Legend has it that an effort to draw water from the river flowing some 20 km away was made during Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar's period when Poornaiah was the dewan. The channel dug up near Mysore Palace was part of the scheme, which subsequently degraded into a mess and was filled up to lay Sayyaji Rao Road.
By early 1900s, the city was supplied with Cauvery water that was pumped from Devaraja canal near Belagola on the banks of the river. Significantly, it was around this time that Asia's first hydro-electric project at Shivanasamudra was getting into final shape, thanks to the vision of K Sheshadri Iyer, the dewan of Mysore. The power generated at Shivanasamudra was supplied to Kolar Gold Fields by 1902. Mysore got electricity only in 1908.
Interestingly, the Maharani's regency lasted for seven years and ended in 1902 when Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar assumed charge. History has it that the works to get drinking water from the river were completed when Vani Vilas was the regent. The Vani Vilas Water Works, which was started in the pervious reign, was completed, C Hayavadana Rao notes in Mysore Gazetteer speaking about developments during the Maharani's regency.
The administrators allowed the significant effort to percolate as by 1914, there were 910 household connections and 370 public taps, according to the Handbook of the city of Mysore published in 1915 by T G Lakshmana Rao, the president of municipal council. Water is supplied to the city by pumping it by electric power, he writes giving the annual cost of maintenance as Rs 50,000. The Belagola station (it is still in operation) pumped 1.25 million gallons per day then.
A filter house was constructed at Yadavgiri where the water was filtered and supplied in pipes to households. Later, the project was dedicated to the Maharani in recognition of her dedication to pursue it despite facing financial hardship owing to famine and outbreak of plague.