HYDERABAD : With water levels in the Sripada Yellampalli reservoir on the Godavari depleting, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is all set to start pumping through emergency motors from Wednesday. Initially, seven out of 20 motors that have been installed at Yellampalli will begin functioning to draw 148 cusecs of water to the city as well as villages en route.
The HMWSSB has been drawing water from Krishna (Akkampally) through 10 emergency pumping motors since last month.
Similar pumping arrangements were made from Yellampalli in 2016 to draw water. In 2020, pumping arrangements could not be commissioned due to sudden flash floods as seven pumps got submerged in the reservoir. The HMWSSB officials said that as per Irrigation records, they are expecting inflows into the reservoir from June-end.
The Water Board officials said that the water level in Yellampally reservoir is falling to minimum drawdown levels (MDDL) and emergency pumping arrangements have been made. The available water is 4.24 tmcft as against the storage of 20.175 tmcft.
As the water level is going to touch MDDL (138 metres), the HMWSSB is starting emergency pumping from June 19. A total of 20 pump motors have been fixed. Initially, seven motors will start functioning — five will draw 20 cusecs each and two will draw 24 cusecs each.
Quenching city’s thirst
The HMWSSB is currently drawing 162 million gallons of water per day for different parts of Hyderabad
576 MGD - Total water being drawn
Krishna - 275 MGD
Godavari - 162
MGDSingur and Manjira - 109 MGD
Himayatsagar - 7.9 MGD
Osmansagar - 21.4 MGD
246 MGD is being supplied to the core city of Hyderabad
237 MGD to peripheral areas of GHMC
62 MGD to ORR and 30.36 MGD for Rural Water Supply
(Mission Bhagiratha)