Water tanker demand surges in Hyderabad ahead of summer

Water tanker bookings have surged across Hyderabad even before summer, especially in western areas and IT hubs, as groundwater levels fall. While HMWSSB ramps up supply, private operators are charging nearly double official rates to meet rising demand.

Hyderabad: With summer still a month away, water tanker bookings have already begun to climb at the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

The surge is prominent in the city’s western corridor, including Hitec City, Madhapur, Gachibowli, Manikonda and some parts of the Financial District.

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Officials of Hyderabad, where customers are turning to the Water Board’s customer care for help, as groundwater levels in their respective areas start to dip

“These areas also saw massive high-rise apartments starting with 20 floors. The water consumption is high on similar lines in other areas like Khairatabad, Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, S R Nagar, Kukatpally and Hafeezpet,” says a Water Board official.

Meanwhile, private tanker operators have begun capitalising on the Water Board’s sluggish response to the rising demand. They have specifically targeted the IT hub, where numerous high-profile MNCs operate across Gachibowli, Madhapur, Manikonda, Raidurg, and Khajaguda.

These private providers are reportedly profiteering by charging nearly double the official HMWSSB rates, with prices fluctuating based on the specific area and delivery distance.

For instance, Water Board’s tanker rates are Rs 500 per tanker for domestic category for 5,000 litres capacity and Rs 850 per 5,000 litres for commercial category.

Simultaneously, for 10,000 litres for domestic use, the water board collected Rs 1,000. For commercial tankers with capacities of 5 KL, 10 KL and 20 KL, the water board charged Rs 850, Rs 1,700 and Rs 3,400, respectively.

A senior HMWSSB official said average tanker bookings per day were around 3,000 to 5,000 and the number was expected to go up to 8,000 to 10,000 per day across Greater Hyderabad.

HMWSSB officials said they ensured additional filling stations to meet demand and planned to supply tankers within 24 hours from the date of booking.