HYDERABAD: With water in the Singur and Manjeera reservoirs expected to last only until December 15, Hyderabad is bracing for a prolonged spell of water stress. Poor rainfall, inadequate groundwater recharge and drying borewells have increased dependence on private tankers, prompting the HMWSSB to step up enforcement against wastage, launch neighbourhood awareness campaigns and promote treated wastewater for non-potable uses.
According to information accessed by TNIE, the Board has received 50 complaints of water wastage in the past two weeks and imposed fines totalling Rs 2.5 lakh. Floor washing accounted for 17 complaints, followed by the use of illegal motors (10), sump overflows (eight) and overhead tank overflows (four).
HMWSSB managing director K Ashok Reddy told TNIE that poor rainfall and the resulting pressure on groundwater had become a concern across Telangana and beyond. Although the Board was maintaining existing piped water supplies, declining groundwater availability had increased dependence on private tankers in several areas.
Dependence on groundwater adding pressure to system: Water Board MD
“The Board is not reducing the quantity of water supplied through its pipelines, but the growing dependence on borewells is adding to the pressure on the system. Groundwater should not be treated as a private, inexhaustible resource, as excessive extraction by some households could leave their neighbours without water in the coming months,” he added.
Describing groundwater as a “water bank”, he said excessive extraction in a short period would leave less water for subsequent months. Ashok Reddy urged residents to use it judiciously, keeping in mind the needs of their neighbourhoods and the city.
Plan in motion
The HMWSSB is imposing fines of `5,000 to `20,000 or more for wasting potable water while commercial establishments, including hotels and pubs, have also faced fines of up to `20,000. Repeat offenders risk disconnection of water supply, while commercial tanker supplies may also be suspended in some cases.
The Board is also planning a community-based monitoring system that will allow residents to report water wastage by uploading photographs through an app. A network of 10,000 volunteers is also being considered to monitor wastage and promote responsible water use at the neighbourhood level.
To curb wastage at the household level, residents have been asked to fix leakages, prevent sump and overhead tank overflows, maintain rainwater harvesting pits and reuse water for cleaning, gardening and other activities that do not require potable water. The Board has also urged households to reduce daily consumption by 20-25 litres per person through modest changes in bathing and other domestic practices.
The HMWSSB is planning a door-to-door awareness campaign using bicycle-mounted loudspeakers. Linemen will convey conservation messages while moving through their assigned residential areas. The campaign, planned for the next eight months, will urge households to cut water consumption by 20%.
‘Lead by example’
Meanwhile, authorities asserted that with reservoir levels under pressure, drinking water will remain the priority, and supplies will be managed accordingly. Officials are also examining the possibility of sourcing additional water and strengthening connections between existing pipelines to divert supplies to areas facing potential shortages.
The Board has been conducting trial runs to assess whether water can be moved in the reverse direction through existing networks to reach vulnerable areas, Ashok Reddy said.
Some pipelines are decades old, requiring checks to determine whether they can withstand changes in water pressure when supplies are pumped through sections originally designed for gravity-based flow. Officials are also working on junctions and missing links to improve connectivity between different parts of the city.
Another key measure is promoting treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants (STPs) for construction, landscaping, gardening and other non-potable purposes. Government departments and public agencies have been instructed to switch to treated water wherever feasible, while construction companies and other bulk consumers are being encouraged to follow suit.
Ashok Reddy said government departments must lead by example by stopping the use of borewell water for activities that can be carried out using treated wastewater.
The Board is also seeking to bring private STPs back into operation. A recent survey of around 700-800 private plants found that nearly 70% were not functioning despite having received the required certification. Notices have been issued to the establishments concerned, directing them to repair and operate their plants within 30 days and reuse treated water for non-domestic purposes instead of relying on borewells.
Officials acknowledge that enforcing conservation measures across the city will be challenging, given the extensive water and sewerage network and limited personnel available to respond to complaints. Cooperation from residents and colony associations will therefore be crucial to identifying wastage and preventing avoidable losses.
Paradise Hotel fined for water misuse
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has fined Paradise Hotel `20,000 for misusing drinking water. During an inspection, officials from Division 16 of the Khairatabad zone detected the violation at the hotel and penalised the management, directing it to prevent further wastage.
HYDRAA removes 31 illegal borewells
Hyderabad: HYDRAA dismantled six illegal borewells on government land near Thammidikunta, opposite Shilparamam, on Monday as part of its crackdown on unauthorised groundwater extraction for commercial water tankers. Near Sunnam Cheruvu in Madhapur, another 10 borewells were removed on Monday. With 15 dismantled earlier, the total number removed near Sunnam Cheruvu has reached 25, taking the combined count across the two locations to 31.