Hyderabad may be in for water crisis

Telangana | Suryaa Desk | Published : Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 08:08 AM

Hyderabad: Drinking water crisis looms large over Hyderabad as water levels at Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir has plunged to 511.2 feet and the water board does not appear to be ready to meet the situation.According to officials if the water levels fall below the minimum draw down level (MDDL) of 510 feet then water will have to be pumped with high pressure pumps. Sources say that the water levels may touch dead storage levels in about a fortnight.

According to a water board official, the State irrigation department has informed the water board to gear up to meet the situation and ensure that there was no problem in regard to drinking water supply to Hyderabad. Hyderabad city gets about 270 MGD of Krishna phase I, II and III to meet the drinking water requirements of 80 per cent of the residents. HMWS&SB Managing Director M Dana Kishore said that there were some permanent pumps with irrigation department which would pump the water from Nagarjuna Sagar into the canal.

Once the water reaches Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project canal (AMRP) the water cannot be carried with gravity and hence the board will have to use motors to pump the water so that it can reach Akkampally balancing reservoir from where it will be supplied to the city. The water board will have to install motors at AMRP canal and Akkampally reservoirs.

Dana Kishore said that the water board has called for tenders to purchase emergency pumps which is estimated to cost Rs 7 crore and the process would be completed by March end. However, he said there was no need to panic since the water board will ensure that drinking water supply to city would not be affected at any cost.

He said in case of any emergency, the board will use water from Manjira and Singur reservoirs. The Officer on Special Duty, Irrigation department Deshpande said that the irrigation department was ready to meet any emergency. Every year by end of March the water levels in Nagarjuna Sagar fall below the level of 510 ft and pumping water into the canal to supply water for the city was a routine exercise, he added.

Hyderabad may be in for water crisis

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