Hyderabad: Water quality in Musi, Hussain Sagar improves

Hyderabad: At a time when cities across the world are struggling with rising contamination levels in their rivers, two major water bodies in the city of Hyderabad, the Musi River and Hussain Sagar, are reporting exactly the opposite trend. In the last few years, the water quality of Musi River and Hussain Sagar has improved […]

Hyderabad: At a time when cities across the world are struggling with rising contamination levels in their rivers, two major water bodies in the city of Hyderabad, the Musi River and Hussain Sagar, are reporting exactly the opposite trend.

In the last few years, the water quality of Musi River and Hussain Sagar has improved a lot, officials point out. Several authorities, including the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) and Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) are working together to ensure that pollution levels in these water bodies are reduced.

According to officials, the level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), which represents the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria and other microorganisms while they decompose organic matter, has gone down in the Musi. While the BOD was 58 mg/L in 2014, the same was recorded at 22 mg/L in 2020.

According to WG Prasanna Kumar, director, National Green Corps, one of the biggest factors contributing to the quality of any water body was rainfall.

“Hyderabad has had a few good monsoon seasons, resulting in the improvement of water in Musi and Hussain Sagar. Another factor has been the continuous efforts of GHMC, TSPCB and HMWSSB to ensure that sewage entering their water bodies is first treated. The authorities have dredged the lake and shifted the solid waste to ensure that the water that flows in is cleaner. Earlier, only about 10 to 20 per cent of sewerage was treated. That is about 70 to 80 per cent now,” he said.

Another drastic improvement has been observed in coliform levels, which gives a general indication of the sanitary condition of a water body. In 2014, the total coliform in Musi was recorded at 6,220, and the same in Hussain Sagar was 1,200. Now, the continuous cleaning and treatment of sewage has reduced coliform to 1,229 and 985 in 2020, at Musi and Hussain Sagar respectively. While these are some of the major steps taken by the authorities, they have done much more than just treating sewage.

Aeration and ozonation

Experts points out that aeration and ozonation, especially in Hussain Sagar, is helping the lake’s ecosystem return to life. Biological contamination is also going down drastically.
Authorities are also removing debris, other waste and water hyacinth from these water bodies regularly. “I think in a few years, the water will be clearer,” said Prasanna Kumar.

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