HYDERABAD: MAUD Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan chaired a high-level review meeting on Monday to formulate plans for ensuring an uninterrupted drinking water supply across the state. Officials reviewed water storage levels in major reservoirs, monsoon inflows, urban drinking water requirements and projected demand for the next summer.
HMWSSB Managing Director K Ashok Reddy said Hyderabad has sufficient drinking water from Krishna, Osmansagar and Himayatsagar sources until the end of June 2027. However, water available in the Manjeera and Singur reservoirs, as well as from Godavari sources, is expected to last only until September 30 this year. To ensure drinking water security for Hyderabad through next summer, the Water Board requested the Irrigation department to maintain a minimum storage of 16 tmcft in the Singur reservoir.
Mission Bhagiratha Engineer-in-Chief Krupakar Reddy said water availability in the Singur catchment areas would be sufficient for only another 45 days and stressed the need for contingency plans to avoid shortages.
Officials also decided to complete the pending 4-km pipeline works required to draw additional Godavari water for Mission Bhagiratha within 40 days. Officials will examine a proposal to allocate around `3 crore for the project. Once completed, the works are expected to make an additional 40 MGD of water available.
Jayesh Ranjan directed Mission Bhagiratha officials to take up rainwater harvesting structures near borewells to improve groundwater recharge. He also instructed the Water Board and Mission Bhagiratha to prepare emergency action plans for optimal utilisation of available water resources and, if required, divert water from alternative sources to meet future drinking water needs.