Hyderabad: Amid rising summer temperatures, city’s reservoirs have seen a sharp drop, prompting the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) to gear up for emergency pumping.Particularly concerning is the situation in Singur, one of Hyderabad’s key water sources supplying large parts of the western corridor, where levels have dropped from 29 tmc (thousand million cubic feet) to below 6 tmc. Officials said emergency pumping will begin here in the next few days.At present, Singur caters to Madhapur, Kondapur, Kukatpally, Moosapet, Miyapur, Chandanagar, BHEL and other parts of west Hyderabad. After close to three years, the water board has been pushed to take up emergency pumping here. The last time it was taken up was in 2023, when the levels had dropped to 5.5 tmc.“We have machinery already in place at the reservoir to start pumping when levels dip below 5.5 tmc,” said a water board official, attributing the current situation to the release of water downstream for dam repairs.“More than 10 tmc was discharged for repairs. Typically, emergency pumping is taken up during peak summer when levels hit dead storage due to weak monsoons. However, this time, repairs had to be carried out after certain deficiencies were identified in the dam,” the official added.Beyond Singur, the water board has also stationed emergency pumping equipment at Nagarjunasagar. Water levels there are currently around 520 feet, and once they drop to 510 feet, pumping operations will begin to ensure raw water supply for the city when gravity-based flow is no longer viable. At the Manjeera reservoir too, storage has fallen to 0.9 tmc compared to its capacity of 1.5 tmc.Together, these reservoirs form a critical supply line for Hyderabad, especially the western corridor, accounting for nearly 20% of the total water distribution, or about 120 mgd out of 576 mgd.“Initially, there were plans to release the entire storage from Singur, which we opposed as it would have worsened the water situation. We ensured that some reserves were retained during the repair work. Despite this, there will be no disruption in the city’s water supply. We continue to supply 576 mgd as usual, and tanker demand is limited to areas where groundwater has declined,” K Ashok Reddy, managing director of HMWS&SB, told TOI.Water levels at Sri Pada Yellampally (Krishna) and Akkampally (Godavari) reservoirs are also raising concerns, having dropped to nearly half their capacity. For example, against a full level of 20 tmc, current storage stands at around 9 tmc. In comparison, Osmansagar and Himayatsagar – though they contribute only 7% of the city’s supply – are in relatively better condition at present.Experts say that emergency pumping can address short-term shortages, but it is not a sustainable solution for a growing city like Hyderabad.“Given that Hyderabad has a dense network of lakes, we must restore local water bodies and catchments. Desilting, reconnecting feeder channels, and protecting buffer zones will improve storage and natural recharge. In addition, the board must fix leaks and manage pressure during summers,” said K M Laxmana Rao, a disaster management expert.
