Telangana gears up to ensure uninterrupted water supply in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Oct 13 (IANS) Comprehensive measures have been taken to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply in the Hyderabad Core Area in view of the anticipated El Nino impact, Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju said on Tuesday. 

He appealed to people to conserve water and extend their cooperation to the measures being undertaken by the government.

The Chief Secretary on Tuesday chaired a review meeting to assess drinking water supply preparedness in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) and Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC) areas within the Hyderabad Core Area.

The Chief Secretary directed the officials to effectively utilise the available water resources and take all necessary measures to ensure that the public does not face any inconvenience in drinking water supply, despite reduced water availability in reservoirs due to the El Nino phenomenon.

The Chief Secretary explained that drinking water is supplied to the Hyderabad Core Area primarily from Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, Manjeera, Krishna and Godavari water sources. The available water in these sources is around 560 MGD.

To meet the city's drinking water requirements, a plan has been drawn to utilise an additional 60 MGD of water, comprising 15 MGD from the Krishna River, 20 MGD through Mission Bhagiratha, another 20 MGD from Mission Bhagiratha and 5 MGD from Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, he said.

Officials informed the meeting that 5 TMC of water is available at Mallannasagar. With the pipeline project to transport water from Mallannasagar to the city expected to be completed in November, an additional 20 MGD of water is expected to become available for utilisation.

The Chief Secretary observed that groundwater levels in the city had declined significantly over the past two to three months compared to last year, resulting in increased demand for water tankers.

Sanjay Jaju directed officials to ensure that sewage treatment plants (STPs) in gated communities and apartment complexes function at full capacity. He emphasised the need to create awareness among residents about using treated wastewater for gardening, vehicle washing and other non-domestic purposes.

Hyderabad Metro Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) officials informed that special green tankers were being arranged to supply treated wastewater for such purposes.

Alternative plans would be implemented to ensure drinking water supply in Medak, Nizamabad, Kamareddy and Sangareddy districts, which depend on the Manjeera and Singur reservoirs, in view of the limited availability of water in these reservoirs.

The Chief Secretary said that borewells and other alternative water sources had already been identified in the respective districts. The government is according highest priority to drinking water supply, and there is no shortage of funds for the purpose, he asserted.

He stated that conserving just 20% of water across the three municipal corporations in Greater Hyderabad could save around 80 MGD of water every day.

Sanjay Jaju directed officials to take stringent measures to prevent the wastage of water, particularly the use of HMWSSB-supplied drinking water for washing vehicles.

He further instructed the authorities to conduct an extensive 60-day public awareness campaign on water conservation and prevention of wastage. Film stars, celebrities and other prominent personalities should be involved in these campaigns to encourage public participation and promote responsible water use.

Calling upon citizens to treat every drop of water as a valuable resource, Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju urged everyone to conserve water and actively participate in the collective effort to effectively address the challenges posed by El Nino. 

--IANS

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