No new borewells in Hyderabad as El Nino threatens water supply
The Telangana government has halted permissions for new borewells in Hyderabad for construction and non-drinking purposes amid falling groundwater levels and El Nino concerns. Water tanker bookings have doubled to 7,000 a day, and reservoirs may hold only until December without fresh inflows.
The state government has decided that no new borewells will be permitted in Hyderabad for construction or other non-drinking purposes, as the city grapples with falling groundwater levels and the looming impact of El Nino on water availability. Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said borewells would now be sanctioned only for drinking water purposes under existing regulations, with existing borewells allowed to be deepened only for the same purpose.
Officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board said groundwater levels have dropped by more than five metres compared to last year, and daily water tanker bookings have doubled from the usual 3,500 to about 7,000. If there are no fresh inflows, supplies from the Manjeera and Singur reservoirs could last only until December, forcing the government to look at the Godavari and Krishna river systems as alternative sources.
As a conservation measure, treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants will be supplied to construction sites through green water tankers from November 1, and also made available for industry, gardening and road medians. Authorities have also begun cracking down on illegal motors fitted on water pipelines, with fines and penalties for violators, and households have been urged to cut consumption by at least 20 per cent.
