From The Hindu · K. Shiva Shanker · · 2m
Hyderabad's groundwater plummets one metre in a month
Groundwater levels in Hyderabad fell sharply in October as rainfall deficit and illegal extraction strain the city's water supply.
In brief
Groundwater levels in Hyderabad fell sharply in October as rainfall deficit and illegal extraction strain the city's water supply. Groundwater levels in Hyderabad's three municipal corporations fell one point zero one metre in one month, forcing borewells deeper as rainfall deficit and illegal extraction strain…
Water levels drop sharply in one month
Groundwater in Telangana's three Municipal Corporations fell one point zero one metre below ground level in October. Levels dropped from eleven point five eight metres in September to twelve point five nine metres.
Deepest and shallowest levels recorded
The deepest groundwater level of twenty two point eight eight metres below ground was recorded in Kukatpally. The shallowest of two point three five metres was in Shaikpet. Data came from one hundred seven Piezometers.
Deep water affects nearly 12 percent of area
Groundwater deeper than twenty metres below ground covered nearly twelve percent of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Cyberabad Municipal Corporation and Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation in October.
Rainfall deficit drives water shortage
Between June first and October thirty first, the area received four hundred eighty four millimetres of rainfall against a normal of seven hundred twenty nine millimetres. This represents a thirty four percent deficit.
Forty mandals face significant rainfall shortfall
Out of forty six mandals in urban limits, six received normal rainfall. The remaining forty mandals recorded deficit rainfall ranging between twenty one percent and fifty one percent.
HYDRAA targets illegal borewell extraction
Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency removed borewells near waterbodies including Sunnam Cheruvu and Fox Sagar lake. People complained of illegal borewells drawing water from six hundred to one thousand metres near waterbodies.
Water tankers agree to new sourcing rules
After a protest and meeting with HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath, the Water Tankers Association of Hyderabad agreed to collect borewell water from the Peri Urban Region outside the Outer Ring Road with requisite permission.
Board cracks down on water theft and waste
Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board took action against illegal motor attachments to drinking water pipelines.
Board promotes water conservation practices
The Board is promoting best practices to conserve water. It recently appreciated a water warrior who collected water from RO purification into buckets to clear utensils and mop floors at home.
The short version
Groundwater levels in Hyderabad's three municipal corporations fell one point zero one metre in one month, forcing borewells deeper as rainfall deficit and illegal extraction strain supplies.
