Hyderabad to face 50 MGD water shortfall as Singur supply dips, HMWSSB aims to cut consumption by 20%

Hyderabad: Hyderabad may be short of about 50 million gallons of water a day in the coming months, prompting the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to plan a 20% reduction in consumption.

With supplies from the Singur reservoir set to decline and groundwater levels falling, the board is drawing up an eight-month drinking water management plan that will run until June 2027. The plan focuses on curbing wastage and promoting conservation.

HMWSSB Managing Director K. Ashok Reddy said the situation had forced the board to implement its summer action plan ahead of schedule.

The city now receives roughly 550 MGD. Inflows from the Singur reservoir are projected to drop by around 90 MGD within the next 50 days. Water drawn from the Godavari through Mission Bhagiratha is expected to make up 40 to 50 MGD of that loss, leaving a gap of nearly 50 MGD.

Groundwater levels are also dropping rapidly across the Core Urban Region (CURE), which is pushing up demand for water tankers. The board is stepping up efforts to prevent wastage and manage consumption as the city approaches summer.

From November 1, the board will supply treated sewage water for construction, gardening and other uses that do not need drinking-quality water. The aim is to keep fresh water for drinking and essential household needs.

The board said it has made arrangements in place to keep supplies from the Krishna and Godavari systems flowing without interruption, and that starting the summer plan early is meant to help the city stretch its water through the lean months ahead.