The summer has announced its arrival and it’s time for Hyderabadis to
brace up for severe water crisis. The problem of insufficient drinking
water supply has already hit a few areas in the city.

For the next
few months, the core areas of the twin cities would receive water only
on alternate days and the amount of supply would be cut by 50 per cent
or the water may be available once in three days.

The erstwhile surrounding municipalities, now merged with the GHMC, are supplied water twice a week.

With
the alarming depletion of water levels in Singur, Manjeera, Krishna,
Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs, the main drinking water sources
to Greater Hyderabad limits and surrounding villages, the supply of
drinking water is now a major cause of concern.

For the last few
years, against the demand of 470 million gallons of water per day (MGD),
the Water Board is barely managing to supply 344 MGD. With fast
depleting level of water, the water board would be soon reduce the
supply further by at least 50 to 60 MGD during peak summer.

With
the dwindling of water levels in these five reservoirs, the Water Board
has no other alternatives but to stave off the problem by supplying
water evenly.

The APTRANSCO is going to play spoilsport this
summer owing to power cuts. The Water Board is drawing water from these
reservoirs mainly through pumping and any trouble in the supply of power
to the pumping stations would lead to havoc in water supplies.

Already some 15 MGD water has been reduced in the last few days. More reductions will be followed in the days to come.

Over
50,000 bore wells belonging to both HMWS&SB and private owners are
fast drying up because of the dwindling ground water levels and there
would be more pressure on the board for additional supply.

The
Osmansagar and Himayatsagar reservoirs which have been meeting drinking
water needs of the citizens for nearly 100 years are now on the verge of
drying up. The Water Board has installed pumping equipment at these two
reservoirs to empty the remaining available water. Compared to the
previous year, levels in these reservoirs have plummeted steeply.

As
there is going to be deficit of 45 to 50 MGD to different parts of the
city, the Water Board would be left with no option but to divert the
Krishna water to the areas fed by Osmansagar and Himayatsagar.

Presently, the level in this reservoir is less than 510 feet as against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 590 ft.

The
Water Board officials told Express that the High Court in July, 2012
directed the state government not to release water to Krishna Delta if
the ‘’dead storage level’’ of Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir falls below 510
ft.

However, the officials said the irrigation department
officials had assured to maintain 510 ft level; if any problem arises
the Board has to lift the water by installing emergency pumps, which is
going to be a costly affair.

Ministers from Hyderabad M Mukesh
Goud and D Nagender met chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy recently to
explain him about the drinking water situation in Hyderabad and the need
to maintain 510 ft level to safeguard the drinking needs.

They
explained that further release of water from Nagarjuna Sagar to
Srisailam Right bank canal for irrigation purposes would result in
serious drinking water crisis in Hyderabad, which draws nearly 180 MGD
of water from this reservoir.  The officials said that demand would be
more this summer as majority of private bore wells have gone dry.