Demand for water tankers shoots up

Hyderabad: The demand for water tankers is growing by the day. A large number of bookings at around 21,000 for payment tankers are pending at various divisions of the water board in twin cities.

Usually, the demand for water tankers increases by 20 per cent every summer and this year it has increased to 30 per cent, according to officials of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

Due to the scorching temperatures this season, which resulted in rapid depletion of ground water table, a huge number of people in the twin cities are forced to depend on water tankers. As the demand far more outstrips supply, residents in several parts of the twin cities are being made to wait for more days together to get the water tanker which they booked.

Speaking to the The Hans India, B Vijay Kumar Reddy, Revenue Officer, HMWSSB, said, "We get around 4,000 tanker bookings everyday and we are able to send around 3,500 to 3,600 tankers per day and pending water tankers will be added to the next day bookings. The main reason for the increase in the demand for water tankers this summer is the depletion of ground water."

"We used to get up to 1,800 bookings for water tankers in other seasons and in summer, the number would double, but this time we are getting nearly 4,000 bookings everyday due to the acute summer and delay in monsoon," Reddy said, adding that, "We will able to clear the pending water tankers bookings within a few days once the monsoon begins."

HMWSSB has deployed around 30 extra water filling stations in several parts of the twin cities and is running some more water tankers in view of the unprecedented demand for water tankers. The officials are appealing to residents to ensure availability of larger space to store the water from tankers.

Shiv Prasad M, a resident of KPHB, said they are getting water tankers two days after booking is made, whereas at other places, residents are having to wait for longer periods to get water through the tankers.

By Srinivas Reddy N