As mercury soars, water dips to alarming level in Nagarjunasagar reservoir
HYDERABAD: Water level in Nagarjunasagar reservoir which supplies 270 million gallons of water per day (MGD) has reached an alarmingly low level. The present level of Nagarjunasagar reservoir is 503.90 feet as against full reservoir level (FRL) of 590 feet.
Telangana Irrigation department has requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to maintain a minimum level of 502 feet in Nagarjunasagar reservoir until July 2017, so as to maintain the required water supply to the twin cities of Secunderabad and Hyderabad. The board has accepted the demand and issued relevant instructions to the authorities concerned.
About 3,000 million cubic feet (tmcft) of water would amount to 503.90 feet and 502 feet levels which is sufficient for a couple of months at most. Already, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has undertaken primary emergency pumping.
For this, they have installed about 10 emergency pumps and are presently drawing water through these emergency pumps, even as water level reached 506 feet. Further, (HMWS&SB) is also making arrangements to draw necessary water through secondary pumping arrangements if the level goes below 502 feet, so as to supply 270 MGD of drinking water to the twin cities with alternate arrangements at Puttamgandi, which would be ready towards the end of July 2017.
In Yellampally reservoir that supplies drinking water from Godavari, the present water level is 143.80 metres with 10 tmcft of water, which is said to be sufficient. Officials said that there was no need for any emergency pumping arrangement at present.
By making the emergency arrangements, HMWS&SB is hopeful that it will be able to supply the required 400 MGD to 420 MGD of potable water to the city till onset of the monsoon. The Hyderabad city water board is installing the apparatus to supply 270 MGD of water in three phases with 90 MGD in each phase.