Hyderabad: A reported daily water deficit of 150 million gallons is putting pressure on Hyderabad’s drinking water supply, with deficient monsoon rainfall, declining groundwater levels and rising demand contributing to shortages in several residential areas.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) is supplying approximately 585 million gallons per day (MGD) to the Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) area, against an estimated requirement of 735 MGD, according to a report published by Telangana Today.
The projected demand is based on an estimated population of around 1.3 crore. The shortfall has raised concerns about the reliability of water supplies as the city enters the drier months.
Expanded Metropolitan Area Adds Pressure
Following the restructuring of the erstwhile Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the HMWSSB's jurisdiction expanded to approximately 2,053 square kilometres. The area includes the GHMC, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation regions.
The expansion has brought Hyderabad’s rapidly growing peripheral residential and commercial areas within the broader supply network, adding to the challenge of meeting rising demand.
A senior HMWSSB official acknowledged the gap between current supply and projected requirements, according to the report. Strained storage capacity, ageing distribution infrastructure and population growth were cited among the factors contributing to the shortage.
Groundwater Depletion Raises Concerns
Poor monsoon rainfall has added pressure on the city's water resources, with authorities monitoring levels in key drinking water reservoirs.
Groundwater availability has also reportedly declined in several areas, particularly in IT corridors and peripheral residential neighbourhoods. Borewells that previously yielded water at depths of around 300 feet are now reportedly running dry even at 800 to 1,000 feet in some locations.
The decline has increased residents' dependence on private water tankers, adding to the burden on households and communities facing unreliable groundwater supplies.
Reservoirs Supply Nearly 600 MGD
According to the figures provided in the report, Hyderabad draws water from six major sources. The combined supply listed for these sources is approximately 584 MGD, close to the reported overall supply of 585 MGD.
The source-wise figures are:
Osman Sagar: 23 MGD
Himayat Sagar: 14 MGD
Singur: 71 MGD
Manjeera: 44 MGD
Krishna through Akkampally: 270 MGD
Godavari through Yellampalli: 162 MGD
The report lists a combined planned draw of 597 MGD against the current draw of 584 MGD. These figures represent the listed source-wise draw levels and should not be interpreted as a measure of total reservoir storage.
HMWSSB Plans Supply Improvements
Bridging the reported 150 MGD gap has become a key operational priority for the water board. Planned measures include infrastructure upgrades, improvements to distribution systems and longer-term projects aimed at strengthening supply to the expanded metropolitan region.
The report lists 14,59,608 consumers across the CURE area, including domestic users, commercial establishments and industries.
Hyderabad's Per-Capita Supply Compared
The figures cited in the report place Hyderabad's average water supply at 150 litres per capita per day (LPCD). The corresponding figures listed for other metropolitan cities are:
Delhi: 172 LPCD
Hyderabad: 150 LPCD
Chennai: 135 LPCD
Bengaluru: 108 LPCD
Although Hyderabad's listed per-capita supply is higher than the figures for Bengaluru and Chennai, the reported overall shortfall and uneven availability in some localities remain concerns.
The scale of the challenge will depend on rainfall, reservoir conditions, groundwater recovery and the pace at which supply infrastructure is strengthened.
