Adecade of explosive urban growth may have put Hyderabad on the fast track to global-city status — but if left unchecked, that same surge could soon leave its taps running dry.Despite the city’s limits expanding from 650 sq km to over 2,000 sq km and its population nearly doubling from 70 lakh in 2012 to 1.3 crore today, drinking water supply has remained frozen at 600 million gallons per day (MGD) for over 14 years.This was after the last addition of 90 MGC that came in 2012 under Krishna Phase III. But since then, there has been zero increase, even as demand has surged sharply. The gap is already visible. Hyderabad is currently facing a shortfall of around 150 MGD, which is projected to widen to over 230 MGD by 2027, when demand is expected to touch 833 MGD. The crisis is most acute in fast-growing peripheral areas like Kollur, Mokila, Tellapur, Nallagandla and regions beyond Osmannagar, where real estate has boomed but water infra has failed to keep pace. Residents here depend heavily on groundwater and private tankers to meet daily needs.That dependence is rising fast. The city consumed nearly 20 lakh tanker loads last year, with 3% of residents relying entirely on tanker supply. Strikingly, 90% of tanker bookings come from 42,000 apartment complexes, mostly in the western corridor.“Granting building permissions without ensuring water infra is a serious lapse. Authorities must pause approvals until supply systems are in place,” said KM Lakshmana Rao, an expert in disaster management.Groundwater Under StressWith limited piped supply, the burden has shifted to groundwater, pushing many areas into dangerous territory. Several mandals, including Ameerpet, Khairatabad, Amberpet, Balanagar, Bachupally and Serilingampally, are now classified as over-exploited, with extraction levels ranging from 100% to 177%. According to Central Groundwater Board norms, anything above 100% indicates overuse beyond natural recharge levels. Alarmingly, groundwater depths in key areas such as Kukatpally, Malkajgiri, Patancheru and Uppal have dropped to 13–17 metres as early as Feb. “Scientifically designed rainwater harvesting systems and injection borewells are critical to replenish aquifers and stabilise groundwater levels,” said B Venkateswara Rao, retired professor, Centre for Water Resources, JNTUH. o s ndruse depthsHMWSSB Cracks Whip On MisuseCracking down on misuse of drinking water, the water board has been imposing fines up to ₹10,000 on residents found using drinking water for non-essential purposes. So far, around 10 individuals have been penalised in separate instances. Two days back, a resident in Jubilee Hills was imposed with a fine of ₹5,000 for cleaning his house floors with drinking water.HMWSSB said that treated drinking water must be used strictly for consumption, and any diversion for activities like washing vehicles will invite strict action.Rainwater Harvesting Falls ShortPoor implementation of rainwater harvesting is deepening Hyderabad’s water crisis. A survey by HMWSSB revealed that dry borewells in apartment complexes are a major driver of the surge in tanker demand.The board identified over 40,000 residential complexes that regularly book more than 20 tankers a month. Of these, 17,384 buildings had no percolation pits, while 22,825 had some form of rainwater harvesting, often inadequate or poorly maintained.“In the western corridor — including Kondapur, Madhapur, Gachibowli and Nanakramguda — nearly 70% of borewells are already dry even before summer, yet communities remain hesitant, citing limited effectiveness during peak demand months,” said Ravi Shankar, president, Federation of Gated Communities, Cyberabad.In response, the water board has proposed construction of 50,000 rainwater harvesting pits up to the ORR over the next five years, aiming to recharge 5–10 TMC of groundwater. This is more than the combined storage capacity of Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar.No Takers For Treated WaterWhile Hyderabad struggles with water scarcity, a massive volume of treated water is going to waste due to lack of demand. The city generates nearly 1,900 MLD of treated wastewater from over 50 STPs, which can be effectively used for gardening, construction, and other non-drinking purposes—yet uptake remains shockingly low.According to officials of Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), less than 2% of treated water is being utilised, while the remaining is simply discharged into rivers. This comes at a time when potable water is being stretched thin and groundwater dependence is rising across the city. A kilolitre of treated water costs ₹20.Officials say awareness and acceptance remain challenges, with consumers still reluctant to use treated water despite its suitability for non-potable needs. “To address this gap, we are now planning to channel treated water to industries, where demand is more consistent, in a bid to reduce wastage and ease pressure on water supplies,” said D Sudarshan, director (transmission), HMWSSB.Water Board’s Ambitious PlansIn a major push to strengthen the city’s drinking water supply, HMWSSB has taken up the Godavari drinking water supply scheme phase II & III at an estimated at ₹7,360 crore. The project aims to bring an additional 300 MGD of water to Hyderabad by 2030, addressing the needs of the city’s rapidly growing population.At present, Hyderabad receives around 600 MGD from various sources, which is increasingly proving inadequate. The city’s water demand, which is poised to rise to 835 MGD by 2027, is projected to go up further to 1,114 MGD by 2047, making augmentation critical. Once completed, the scheme is expected to significantly ease Hyderabad’s water stress.“Under the new plan, the govt will draw 20 TMC of water from the Godavari river via the Mallanna Sagar reservoir. Of this, 17.5 TMC will be used for drinking water supply, while 2.5 TMC will be allocated to revive the twin reservoirs as part of the Musi river rejuvenation project. This initiative offers a dual benefit — meeting Hyderabad’s drinking water needs and supporting efforts to restore the Musi river ecosystem,” said a senior official in HMWSSB.
