Hyderabad: Public policy expert seeks groundwater-use caps for hotels amid water concerns

Public policy expert Donthi Narasimha Reddy has urged Telangana officials to cap groundwater extraction by Hyderabad hotels amid concerns over water availability. He has proposed annual consumption limits, disclosure of metered water use, a ban on new borewells and penalties for violations.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad-based public policy expert Donthi Narasimha Reddy urged Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju to cap groundwater use by city hotels and initiate water conservation efforts in the sector amid dwindling water availability.

In a representation, Narasimha Reddy said Hyderabad’s hotel sector was a largely undisclosed water user. Based on standard industry benchmarks, an estimated 30,000 to 45,000 rooms and occupancy of 60% to 80% generated demand of 25 million to 45 million litres, sourced from borewells and tankers. The quantity could meet the domestic needs of 3 lakh to 4 lakh residents, he said.

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Reddy said the government should use powers under Telangana State Water, Land and Tree Act to cap groundwater extraction by hotels and urged it to direct HMWSSB, Groundwater Department and TGSPCB to publish metered consumption from piped supplies, borewells and tankers for hotels above a specified size.

He proposed annual volumetric limits for each hotel, set per room and tiered by class and facilities, alongside sector-wide ceilings for each aquifer zone. Reddy also sought a ban on new hotel borewells and penalties for violations.