HYDERABAD : Owing to rapid urbanisation in the Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration (HUA) region and a huge rise in the demand for water supply, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) has formulated the Godavari Drinking Water Supply Scheme Phase-II, which aims to rejuvenate the centuries old twin water reservoirs - Osmansagar (Gandipet) and Himayatsagar, with Godavari being the priority.
Accordingly, the project proposals were formulated through Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited (WAPCOS), a central government undertaking to draw 15 TMC of water from Kondapochamma Sagar in Siddipet. Out of which, 10 TMC is proposed for drinking water augmentation and 5 TMC for rejuvenation of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs.
The detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared for the project, estimated to cost around Rs 4,800 crore. The project proposals are under circulation for according to administrative sanction, with a funding option of Rs 3,500 crore loan assistance from Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) and a balance project cost of 40% share, i.e., Rs 520 crore, by the state government and a 60% share of Rs 780 crore by the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) agency. Further, the funding options are also being explored by the New Development Bank (NDB). Informal discussions were held with the officials of NDB and they were informed about the preliminary project proposals recently.
Sources told TNIE that the project proposals consist of - laying of a 3,600 mm dia MS main for a length of 82 kilometres from Kondapochamma Sagar to Osmansagar, the construction of Water Treatment Plant (WTP) of 10 TMC with associated components of Clear Water Reservoirs, Pump House, Pumping Main and Master Balancing Reservoir at Ghanpur, Shameerpet, and interconnectivity arrangements between Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs with a provision of one small WTP at Janwada to supply drinking water to local areas.
The state government has also proposed to fill up the six water bodies enroute - Shamirpet lake, Gandigudem Cheruvu, Bowrampet lake, Dundigal lake, Shambipur lake and Gowdavalli lake apart from rejuvenating the major water bodies, they added.
Presently, drinking water to Greater Hyderabad and enroute villages and gram panchayats are supplied from drinking water sources - Osmansagar, Himayathsagar, Manjira, Singur, Krishna Phase-I, II and III from Nagarjunasgaar and Godavari Phase-I from Yellampally barrage - with a total installed capacity of over 600 million gallons of water per day (MGD).
The last drinking water projects of Krishna Phase-III and Godavari Phase-I were commissioned during November/December, 2015. An additional source augmentation has not been added since 8-9 years ago. Due to rapid urbanisation in HUA, the water supply demand has increased substantially. Seeing this, the water board has appraised the state government about the urgent need for a new source augmentation project in Hyderabad. After a detailed review and discussions on the water supply situation, the government directed HMWSSB to formulate the project of source augmentation cum rejuvenation of Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs with Godavari waters immediately.
The Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir has provisions to meet the drinking water needs of Hyderabad. Keeping in view the future demand for drinking water, the state government has proposed to interlink Kondapochamma Sagar, Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs so that they remain full and there is no interruption in drinking water supply to the city. This will ensure drinking water supply to the city at least until 2051.