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Water crisis stares at Hyderabad
With most of the major reservoirs like Singur, Himayatsagar, Manjeera and Osmansagar either drying up or reaching dead storage levels, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) officials are indicating at some \'harsh decisions\' regarding supply of drinking water to denizens over the next four months.
HMWS&SB hints at harsh decisions this summer
Hyderabad: With most of the major reservoirs like Singur, Himayatsagar, Manjeera and Osmansagar either drying up or reaching dead storage levels, Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) officials are indicating at some 'harsh decisions' regarding supply of drinking water to denizens over the next four months.
Water board officials are ensconced in their conference rooms trying to figure a way out to overcome the impending crisis, which has been confirmed by irrigation department officials. Officials said they were doing a ground check on the possibility of increasing the frequency of water from the existing alternate day to twice a week, based on the demand arising this summer.
The city has been receiving 350 MGD of water from Krishna Phase-1, Phase-2 and Phase-3 projects, and another 86 MGD from the Godavari Phase-1 project. Another 7.5 MGD is also being supplied from the twin reservoirs of Himayatsagar and Osmansagar. Officials have been able to supply about 350 MGD of the total demand for 650 MGD.
The present water storage at Osmansagar is about 0.023 tmcft as against its full capacity of 3.900 TMC, while Himayatsagar has only 0.173 tmcft of water left against its full capacity of 2.967 tmcft. The other two major water sources --Singur and Manjeera reservoirs -- have gone dry early in December.
Responding to queries on the 'harsh decisions' proposed by the water board department, HMWS &SB Director (operations) G Rameshwar Rao told The Hans India that since all major water sources have either dried up or have reached dead storage levels in the wake of poor monsoon last year, they are examining ways to conserve water by involving citizens.
"We will carry out exhaustive awareness campaigns to conserve water and involve the civic society in a big way to minimise water consumption in view of the precarious situation. At least 150 MGD is being supplied under Krishna Phase-III and Godavari Phase-I. We will take decisions accordingly," he said and added, "The most worrying factor for us is rapid rate of evaporation from both River Godavari and River Krishna because of the unusual rise in day temperature in the past 30 days."
On the contrary, sources in the water board said that officials were under tremendous pressure not to disturb the existing supplies to denizens. They said officials of the irrigation department had alerted them on the dwindling water levels in River Krishna, which meets more than 50 per cent of the city's drinking water needs. However, water board officials have sounded an alarm that if there is any further rise in the day temperature, the existing water supplies can hardly meet the drinking water nee
