Believe it or not, nearly 50 per cent of the water supplied in the
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) divisions 2 and 6 of the Hyderabad
Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) are
unaccounted for water (UFW).

Of the 50 per cent, nearly 25 per
cent of water is lost due to leakages in water pipelines, losses in the
distribution system and the remaining 25 per cent are due to commercial
losses, illegal connections, tampering of water meters by consumers,
consumers having more than one water connection and non-functioning of
water meters, etc.

To bring down the current level of UFW
including water audit upto the section and docket levels in the service
area of HMWSSB, a pilot UFW project will be taken up the in the two
O&M divisions.

HMWS&SB officials told Express that the
water board has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) for consultancy
study purposes in order to prepare detailed project reports (DPRs) on
UFW reduction in the above two divisions. Consultants with experience in
the formulation of proposals for UFW reduction in the water supply
system have been asked to submit the EoI before October 10, they added.

The
water board wanted to engage the consultants for preparation of DPRs
containing technical proposals with detailed implementable project
components for the two divisions by duly arriving at the base costs for
UFW reduction and studying the section level and docket level metering
in the water supply network of Operation & Maintenance Division of 2
and 6 respectively.

The study includes two parts — part A
includes carrying out necessary surveys and investigations, design and
establishing DMAs, measuring the initial values of UFW and leakages,
determining all necessary remedial and improvement measures in the areas
assigned to reduce UFW to 16 percent overall in the jurisdiction of
O&M 2 and 6.

While part B includes the study of all the
sources of supply to various sections and dockets within the sections
and finalise suitable locations for fixing bulk flow meters connected to
central SCADA, so as to measure actual quantities of water supplied to
the sections and dockets and also arrive at UFW valves in each O&M
section and docket for a complete water audit in each section under the
two O&M divisions.

The project envisages plugging of water
leakages, thus ensuring high water pressure and minimising losses in the
distribution system. Currently, water leakage in the city is between 45
and 50 per cent.

However, the internationally accepted level of
permissible leakage is a maximum of 20 to 25 per cent. With the UFW
project, the HMWWS&SB aims to bring it down to less than half. 

The
HMWS&SB has been apprised about the project proposals to the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team which visited the city a
couple of months ago. The JICA expressed consent to extend the loan
assistance to the said project. After due process at their head office,
they have agreed to send the next appraisal team along with with the
JICA director for further process.

The pilot project covers
Division 2 encompassing Yakutpura, Talab Katta, Talabchanchalam,
Saidabad Colony, Shalibanda, Santosh Nagar, Rein Bazar, Pool Bagh,
Rakshapuram, Patherghatti, Moosaramabgh, Lal Darwaza, Misrigunj,
Himmatpura, Kala Dera, IS Sadan, Imblibun, Jahanuma, Kanchanbagh,
Jangamet, Hafeezbaba Nagar, Ghansi Bazar, Gowlipura, Malakpet, Uppuguda,
Asmangadh, Chandrayangutta, Edi Bazar, Chanchalguda, Bhavani Nagar,
Barkas, Aliabad, Akberbagh and other localities.

Division-6 covers
Somajiguda, Punjagutta, MS Maktha, BS Maktha, Yellareddyguda,  Srinagar
Colony, Banjara Hills, Green Lands, Erramanzil, Krishnanagar, Jubilee
Hills, Erragadda, Borabanda, Madhura Nagar, Sanathnagar, SR Nagar, BK
Guda, Ameerpet, Balkampet, Chintal Basthi,

Vengal Rao Nagar, Guttala Begumpet, Fathenagar, Venkatagiri, Yousufguda and other areas.