HMWSSB plans alternatives if scanty rainfall hits Singur water supplies

HMWSSB officials have been directed to prepare alternatives for reduced Singur supplies if rainfall remains scanty. Plans include diverting 40 MGD from Mission Bhagiratha, local water treatment and tighter monitoring of supplies, complaints, performance and revenue collection

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) officials have been directed to prepare alternative plans to compensate for reduced supplies from Singur if rainfall is scanty.

HMWSSB Managing Director K Ashok Reddy issued the instructions during a review meeting amid concerns that rainfall may be inadequate, according to a press release issued on Monday.

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The Water Board MD sought a comprehensive plan to divert an additional 40 MGD available through Mission Bhagiratha to areas receiving reduced supplies from Singur. Temporary vertical water treatment plants should, if necessary, be established along the Osmansagar and Himayatsagar conduit routes to treat available water locally and supply nearby areas, the release said.

Officials were directed to monitor reservoir levels, supply timings, low-pressure problems and reasons for delays daily, and take proactive corrective action. They were also asked to identify the root causes of repeated complaints and implement permanent solutions, with 15-day and 30-day targets for improving performance in underperforming areas.

Managers were told not to close complaints after temporary resolution, but to prevent their recurrence. They should use complaint data to identify problem areas and prepare special action plans for their jurisdictions.

HMWSSB Joint Managing Director Mayank Mittal called for a major focus on revenue mobilisation and analysis of commercial and domestic consumer data, water meters, billing demands, collections and unrecorded connections. Monthly reviews should target a 20 per cent increase in revenue over the next four months, the release said.