Hyderabad faces 150 MGD water deficit as groundwater levels plunge

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Hyderabad: Deficient monsoon rainfall, critical groundwater depletion, and water supply shortages have left Hyderabad residents facing a water crisis, with taps and sumps running dry as the city’s underground aquifers deplete rapidly.

After the erstwhile GHMC was trifurcated, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board’s jurisdiction extended across 2,053 sq km, covering Core Urban Region Economy areas comprising Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC).

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Despite a major geographical expansion to integrate Hyderabad’s booming peripheries, the HMWSSB is struggling to tackle an escalating water crisis.

A senior HMWSSB official conceded a shortfall in water supply and told ‘Telangana Today’ that the water board is currently supplying 585 million gallons per day (MGD) to the CURE area, leaving a 150 MGD deficit and consumers facing a potable water shortage.

“Population projections indicate we should supply 735 MGD to meet demand from 1.3 crore people,” the official said. The city’s 150 MGD water shortfall is attributed to strained storage capacity, legacy pipeline infrastructure, and unprecedented population growth.

Experiencing sparse rainfall this monsoon, the city’s key drinking water reservoirs are slowly but steadily depleting. The HMWSSB is monitoring water levels of the reservoirs with growing concern as the trend undermines expectations of a water-secure winter.

Borewells in several IT corridors and peripheral residential sectors that once yielded water at 300 feet are now dry even at depths of 800 to 1,000 feet. The severe decline in the water table has triggered widespread dependence on private water tankers.

Bridging a 150 MGD shortfall is now the water board’s highest operational priority, top officials said. Infrastructure upgrades, water-distribution strategies and long-term supply projects are planned to secure the CURE area’s water supply.

Reservoirs and supplies:

Reservoir	To be drawn	Currently drawn (in MGD)
Osman Sagar:	27	23
Himayat Sagar:	18	14
Singur:	75	71
Manjeera:	45	44
Krishna (Akkampally):	270	270
Godavari (Yellampalli):	162	162
Total:	597	584

Consumers in CURE: 14,59,608 (including domestic, non-domestic, bulk commercial, industries and others)

Comparison of Metropolitan Cities and Average Per Capita Supply in Litres Per Capita per Day (LPCD):

Hyderabad: 150 LPCD

Bengaluru: 108 LPCD

Chennai: 135 LPCD

Delhi: 172 LPCD