The Hindu                09.10.2013

No worries for city water supply

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage
Board (HMWSSB) doesn’t foresee any problem in water supply due to the
ongoing stir by the electricity employees. The Board requires 110 MW for
pumping operations at Singur, Manjeera, Krishna Phase I, Phase II and
for city level distribution and pumping. The Board draws power from the
southern grid.

The Board has expressed its concerns
to the APCPDCL chairman and managing director S.A.M. Rizvi and the
latter has assured hassle free power supply for round-the-clock pumping
of water.

“We are coordinating and there will be no problem,” said Water Board Managing Director J. Syamala Rao.

However,
supplies being affected due to local level power cuts can’t be ruled
out. In that case the Board will have to resort to change in supply
timings. But even this problem has not cropped up yet, officials say.

The
major quantum of 70 MW is required for the Krishna Phase I and II where
16 huge pumps operate round-the-clock. Singur and Majeera reservoirs
need 20 MW and the local distribution network consumes 20 MW.

“Water supply is of paramount importance and every effort is being made to ensure that there is no interruption,” Mr. Rao said.

But
the Board is worried about the scant quantity in the Osmansagar and
Himayatsagar reservoirs. The present amount of water is sufficient only
for the next three-and-half-months. Both reservoirs have just 1.1 tmc of
water as against the full capacity of seven tmc. Last year at this time
Osmansagar and Himayatsagar put together had 1.9 tmc.

The
little water that is now available into the city reservoirs trickled in
only at the fag end of the monsoon season. In view of the meagre
quantum of water, the Board is now drawing just nine mgd from Osmansagar
and eight mgd from Himayatsagar. The level in Singur reservoir,
however, is encouraging. It has 23 tmc against the full capacity of 29
tmc.