HYDERABAD: The drinking water problem in Greater Hyderabad is going to worsen further as the supply of 120 million gallons of water per day (MGD) from the Singur and Manjira reservoirs is going to be stopped completely in a day or two.
The Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, which used to supply 40 MGD of water a day, have already dried up a few months ago.
In terms of drinking water supplies since 1965, these two major reservoirs have been the lifeline of the people of Greater Hyderabad and the villages en route.
Of the 320 MGD water that is being supplied in GHMC limits now, 75 MGD is drawn from the Singur reservoir and 45 MGD from the Manjira.
It will be the first time that water supply from these two reservoirs to the twin cities will be stopped.
The worst was witnessed in 2000 when the levels plummeted to an alarming level but due to the flash floods in August that year the water reservoirs filled up, averting a major crisis.
Right now, the water levels at Singur and Manjira are precariously low. As against the storage capacity of 29.917 tmcft in Singur, the water availability now is just 0.931 tmcft.
The Manjira reservoir (1.5 tmcft) has no water at all as it has dried up completely.
“Had there been a delay in bringing the Godavari water to Hyderabad by a week or two, a need for evacuation of people would have arisen,” Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board managing director B.Janardhan Reddy told Express.
A few days ago, the irrigation department had informed the water board that it was going to stop the water supplies to Greater Hyderabad stating that whatever little water was available now would be supplied to meet the drinking needs of the people of nearby Sadavshivpet and Sangareddy towns, and nagar panchayats in Medak district.
Medak district MLAs, MPs and other elected representatives have been demanding stoppage of water supplies to Hyderabad.
HMWS&SB requested the irrigation department to give it time till the completion of the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Project which envisages supply of 86 MGD by the first week of December and another 86 MGD by January next year.
Even if 86 MGD water from the Godavari is brought to Kukatpally, Serilingampally, Quthbullapur and Alwal (Division VI), there will still be a shortfall of 75 MGD as the water supplies from Singur, Manjira, Osmansgar and Himayatsagar (160 MGD) will be stopped now. About 340 million gallon of water per day of water had been being supplied to the twin cities till last month. The overall demand for water in Greater Hyderabad is about 600 MGD.
The situation will turn worse during the coming summer as the demand for water is bound to increase. The available Godavari water (Yellampally) can meet the drinking needs only up to July next.
HMWS&SB is hoping for a good monsoon next year so that all reservoirs will again become full to the brim.